A coalition of Bangladeshi American Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians asked former US President Donald Trump to take decisive action for the religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh. The group has appealed with serious concern over mounting atrocities against those communities. The group describes the situation as an “existential threat” being posed by Islamist forces.
The coalition has been calling on Trump to intervene in bringing the monk Chinmoy Krishna Das out of jail and from sedition charges. Das, a former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, was arrested from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 25 when he allegedly insulted the national flag. He still is behind bars after having been denied bail by the Chattogram court with an appeal hearing scheduled for January 2, 2025.
The group emphasized that growing radicalization in Bangladesh could have far-reaching implications for South Asia and beyond. They highlighted the need for international attention to curb internal persecution and prevent further destabilization.
Proposals To Protect Minorities
The coalition, in a memorandum addressed to Trump, recommended tying Bangladesh’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions to its commitment to end religious and ethnic persecution. Among their suggestions were:
- A comprehensive Minority Protection Act into practice.
- Establishing safe havens for persecuted communities.
- Having a minority-only electorate to vote.
- Enacting laws against hate speech and hate crimes.
Hate speech and hate crime laws are enacted to avoid harming the cultural heritage or religious practices of the minoritarians while keeping the minorities safe and secure.
Over this situation in Bangladesh, India echoed the concerns too. From there at Kolkata, the leaders belonging to the Hindu Sanatani Sangathan and the All India Imams Organisation addressed for minutes devoted to the cause of Bengali minorities in Bangladesh.
Religious leaders at the meeting unanimously condemned violence, especially women and houses of worship as targets of violence. They called for the immediate measures by the interim Bangladeshi government to ensure safety for people and restoration of peace.
Faizen Munieer of the All India Imams Organisation said, “Every community should have the right to practice its religion without intimidation. Reports of attacks against minorities in Bangladesh are very alarming. We stand for the rights of every minority member everywhere.”
Calls For Peace, Dialogue
The religious leaders expressed their willingness to mediate between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments so that the safety of the minorities could be ensured. They proposed sending a peace delegation to Bangladesh if both the governments agree to the initiative.
The situation is very disturbing. Even women are not immune to such brutal attacks. We pray for peace and for it to come to an end,” ISKCON Kolkata Vice President Radharamn Das commented.
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