HRCBM is gravely concerned of ongoing violence against minorities in Bangladesh

March 8, 2013 - PRLog -- Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM)
P.O. Box 5493   
Santa Clara, CA 95056
USA
http://www.hrcbm.org;Email:appeal@hrcbm.org
Ph: 212-592-3627
Fax: 619-330-0662


HRCBM Press Release
Tuesday, 07 March 2013

Religious Minorities, the Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Tribal People Must be Protected.
Human Rights Must be Upheld and the Criminals Must be Dealt with Iron-Hands.

Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) is gravely concerned of the ongoing violence against religious minorities since the announcement by the “International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)” of the verdict: death by hanging, for Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, one of the leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami party for the “crimes against humanity” that he committed during the 1971 War of Liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. The ICT found him guilty of charges of mass killing, rape, arson and religious persecution during the liberation war.

The ICT announced the verdict on 28 February 2013. Immediately after the verdict, Jamaat-e-Islami and Chhatra Shibir (the student wing of Jamat-e-Islami) attacked the Hindu community across the country. They set ablaze Hindu and Buddhist temples, and torched houses and business establishments of the Hindus in the districts of Noakhali, Gaibandha, Chittagong, Rangpur, Sylhet, Comilla, Chapainawabganj, Gournadi, Chandpur and many other districts in the country. They were heavily armed, and attacked the police also. They killed innocent people and the police who tried to protect the people. The violence is spreading widely throughout the country and the minorities are fearful for their life and livelihood. The Jamat-Shibir fanatics have adopted the same tactics as they did in 1971 in collaboration with the Pakistani occupation army.

The peoples, governments, and non-governmental organizations of the world MUST NOT allow repetition of the heinous crimes that were committed by the coalition of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamat-e-Islami, following their victory in General Election of 2001. The Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Indigenous people were the victims of their barbaric atrocities in 2001 and they are the victims now.  

We appeal to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the conscience of the governments, human rights institutions, The United States of America, and United Nations for immediate protection of the life, properties and freedom of expression of the religious and ethnic minorities, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Tribal People, and all citizens of Bangladesh.

We urge the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to protect the minorities. The perpetrators must be prosecuted, the victims must be compensated and rehabilitated and the criminals must be dealt with iron hands.

A glimpse of the ongoing brutal atrocities and violence is available at http://www.hrcbm.org .

Dhiman Deb Chowdhury
President, Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM)