On Tuesday Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus said that the government will punish those who attacked the minority Hindu community. The Chief Advisor met the victim Hindu community during a visit to the ancient Dhakeshwari temple. He urged Hindus to remain patient and assured that they would be protected.
The economist (84-year-old) took charge as the Chief Advisor of the interim government on August 8 amid ongoing violence and vandalism. He visited the Dhakeshwari temple, one of the major Shaktipeeths in Dhaka, and said that the rights of every person should be ensured. Yunus blamed “institutional collapse” for the plight of the country.
His visit came at a time when the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance (BNHGA) has said that the minority community has faced attacks and threats at 278 places in 48 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 and termed it an “attack on Hinduism”.
Yunus said, “Rights are equal for everyone. We are all the same people and have the same rights. Do not discriminate between us. Please help us. Be patient and assess later – what we have been able to do and what we have not. If we fail, criticise us.”
Yunus said, “In our democratic aspirations, we should be seen as humans and not Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists. Our rights should be ensured. The root of all problems lies in the decay of institutional arrangements. That is why such issues arise. There is a need to fix the institutional arrangements.”
At that time, Professor Yunus was accompanied by legal advisor Asif Najrul and religious affairs advisor AFM Khalid Hussain.
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