Should the Killers of Chandra Das Face Exemplary Punishment? Hindus in Bangladesh Demand Justice
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Chandra Das was brutally murdered over false blasphemy claims.
- Protests have erupted in Dhaka demanding justice.
- Members of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance organized the rally.
- The Indian government is closely monitoring the situation.
- There have been over 2,900 documented incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
Dhaka, Dec 26 (NationPress) Members of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance - the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mahajote - formed a human chain and conducted a protest rally in Dhaka on Friday, calling for justice and a thorough investigation into the recent horrific murder of Hindu youth Chandra Das.
The 25-year-old Das was brutally lynched by a mob based on false blasphemy allegations on December 18. A group of radicals took his life, then hung his body from a tree before setting it ablaze. This horrifying incident has provoked international outrage.
Additionally, on Thursday, Bangladeshi media reported the death of another Hindu youth, 29-year-old Amrit Mondal, who was also reportedly lynched by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union late Wednesday.
During Friday's protest, members of the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mahajote demanded the immediate apprehension and severe punishment for the perpetrators of this ongoing Hindu genocide.
The rally, held in front of the National Press Club, attracted approximately 400 participants who called for swift legal action and accountability for those orchestrating the genocide against Hindus.
Dinabandhu Ray, President of the organization, chaired the event, with Kishore Kumar Barman, organizing secretary, leading the proceedings alongside Gobindo Chandra Pramanik, Secretary General of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance.
Speakers included Advocate Pradip Pal, Executive President of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance, and Sajib Kundu Tapu, President of the Bangladesh National Hindu Student Council, all urging authorities to ensure a prompt trial and accountability for the involved parties, energizing the crowd with chants of 'Jai Sri Ram'.
The speakers unanimously condemned the killing as a heinous act and insisted that justice must be served without delay.
On the same day in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed significant concern regarding the ongoing violence against religious minorities - including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists - in Bangladesh, reaffirming that it is closely monitoring developments in the neighboring country.
"India is vigilantly observing the situation and has expressed grave concern over the ongoing hostility faced by minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists. We denounce the recent murder of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh and expect that the criminals behind this heinous act will be brought to justice. Over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities, including killings, arson, and land grabs, have been documented during the interim government's tenure. These events cannot be dismissed as mere media exaggerations or political violence," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly press briefing.
Condemning the ongoing hostility towards minorities in Bangladesh, India also rejected the misleading anti-India narrative being propagated in Bangladesh, reiterating that maintaining law and order and ensuring security is the duty of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
"We have dismissed the false narrative being peddled in Bangladesh. The responsibility of maintaining law and order and ensuring security falls on the Bangladesh interim government. To project a narrative suggesting otherwise is entirely inaccurate, and we reject that," Jaiswal stated.
Bangladesh has seen a rise in violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, under the Yunus-led interim government, leading to widespread outrage among the populace and various human rights organizations globally.