The new interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, has issued a contentious directive asking the Hindu community to avoid playing musical instruments during Durga Puja celebrations while namaz and Azaan are being observed. This decision comes in the wake of recent attacks on the Hindu minority, triggered by student protests against education and job quotas for descendants of Bangladesh’s Freedom Fighters and the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The government’s directive has been met with criticism, especially since it coincides with a ban on exporting hilsa fish to India, leading to a severe shortage of Bangladeshi ilish and skyrocketing prices ahead of the Durga Puja festival. Traditionally, Bangladesh has sent large consignments of Padma hilsa to India, particularly West Bengal, during this period.
Muhammad Yunus has previously downplayed the attacks on Hindus, dismissing them as “not communal” and suggesting that the issue is being “exaggerated.” His remarks have raised concerns about the safety and security of religious minorities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus. Yunus has also shown an interest in identifying high-ranking Hindu officials, which some interpret as an attempt to monitor and control the community more closely.
Yunus is not in control of Bangladesh
Ambassador Veena Sikri, former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, stated in an exclusive interview with NewsX stated that Yunus might not be fully in control of the situation. She suggested that the Jamaat-e-Islami party, a fundamentalist group, could be exerting influence behind the scenes. Sikri criticized Yunus for marginalizing Hindu minorities and compared the situation in Bangladesh to the treatment of minorities in Pakistan, where similar issues have been prevalent.
“We also saw Professor Muhammad Yunus making very strange comments in his interview to the PTI a few days ago where he was saying that India thinks that everybody in Bangladesh except the league are all Islamists. I mean, he’s making very strange comments, he’s making very uncalled-for strange comments and I can only think that he is not really in charge, he’s not calling the shots, he is being told to do all this from behind the scenes by somebody else,” Ambassador Veena Sikri said.
Islamization of Durga Puja
Senior political commentator Sumit Peer condemned the government’s actions, describing them as an effort to “Islamize” Durga Puja. He expressed concerns about the safety of Hindu celebrations and questioned the potential for harassment by madrasa students assigned to guard Durga Puja pandals. Peer argued that these students, taught to view such practices as contrary to Islam, could pose a risk to the safety of the festival.
“Why are madrasa students being used to protect Durga Puja pandals when they are taught that such practices are against Islam? This is oxymoronic. It’s like preparing for a disaster while expecting fireworks. The intention seems to be to create a dangerous mix that could explode,” Peer added.
Senior journalist Gautam Mukherje highlighted the economic implications of the government’s policies, particularly the impact on Bangladesh’s garment industry and foreign exchange. Mukherje also criticized the provocative nature of the hilsa ban and the directive affecting Durga Puja celebrations, suggesting that these moves could destabilize the country’s political and economic fabric.
The directive and its implications reflect growing unease about the rights and safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh and pose significant questions about the country’s future trajectory.
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