The police booked 19 members of the ‘Sanatan Jagaran Mancha (SJM)’ on 30th October, days following the Hindu community conducted out a protest rally in the historic Lal Dighi ground in Chittagong city of Bangladesh.
On 25th October, 2024 the rally was organised to protest against the Islamist onslaught on Hindus. A police complaint was filed by Firoz Khan against SJM spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari, ISKCON priest Lilraj Das Brahmachari and others. Khan accused the Hindus of ‘disrespecting’ the national flag of Bangladesh by allegedly placing a saffron Hindu flag atop it in the New Market intersection of Chittagong. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered by the Kotwali police and booked the Hindu leaders.
Cases were also filed against other members of the Hindu community. They include Ajay Dutta, Gopal Das Tipu, Kathak Das, Amit Dhar, Roni Das, Rajiv Das, Krishna Kumar Dutt, Jiku Chowdhury, Newton Dey, Tushar Chakraborty, Mithun Dey, Rupon Dhar, Rimon Dutt, Sukant Das and Biswajit Gupta.
The police also gave in to the diktat of the local Muslims and arrested two Hindus, namely, Rajesh Chowdhury and Hriday Das, on charges of the ‘sedition.’ The local administration also removed the saffron flag from the New Market intersection of Chittagong. The Hindus, who have voiced their distress against the targeting of their temples, shops and businesses, are now accused of ‘rejecting the integrity of the state’, ‘undermining the country’s sovereignty and creating unrest’. Following the FIR and arrest of two Hindus, the community organised a protest march at the Cheragi Pahar intersection of Chittagong. The Sanatan Jagaran Mancha has also announced demonstrations in 65 districts of Bangladesh on Friday.
The Hindu community put forth 8 demands on 25th October and sought their immediate implementation:-
- Speedy trial in cases of atrocities on minorities, adequate compensation and rehabilitation of the victims.
- Enactment of Minority Protection Act.
- Formation of Ministry of Minority Affairs.
- Upgradation of Hindu Welfare Trusts to Hindu Foundations.
- Implementation of the ‘Property Recovery and Preservation Act and Transfer of Entrusted Property Act’ should be properly implemented.
- Construction of places of worship for minorities in every educational institution and allotment of prayer rooms in every hostel
- Modernisation of Board of Sanskrit and Pali Education.
- Mandatory 5 days holiday on Durga Puja
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