Amid reports of increasing violence against Hindus, a notification issued by the President’s Office of Bangladesh has further raised concerns about the safety of Hindus in the country. In the notification, senior Hindu officials of Bangladesh’s ministries and departments have been asked for their personal information. Experts have expressed concern about this and said that through this the Bangladeshi government is discriminating against officials on the basis of race.
Last week, on 29 August, the Bangladesh President’s Office issued a notification asking senior Hindu officials to provide their personal details. Several ministries and departments had also issued similar notifications, including the Ministry of Textiles and Jute. As soon as the notification came out, fear spread among Hindu officials.
Government’s clarification on the notification
However, speaking to India Today, retired Brigadier General Shekhawat Hossain, textile and jute adviser to the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh, said Hindu officials have nothing to worry about.
He said that this is a routine work and this notification is issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan Bangabhaban so that the President’s invitation can be extended to Hindu officials for Durga Puja Dashami.
He said that President Mohammad Shahabuddin organises Durga Puja Dashami puja every year and the notification sought his personal details from officials so that a list could be prepared to attend his event.
Both Krishna Janmashtami and Vijayadashami are national holidays in Bangladesh.
Experts are concerned about making a list of Hindu officers
Despite the clarification from Bangladesh regarding the notification, experts are concerned. Suhas Chakma, director of the Delhi-based Rights and Risk Analysis Group (RRAG), believes that given the incidents of violence against minority groups in Bangladesh after the coup of the Sheikh Hasina government last month, it is difficult to believe the claim that the list of Hindu officials is being prepared only for the purpose of the festival.
Speaking to ‘The Hindu’, Suhas Chakma said, “The Bangladesh President’s demand for a list of only Hindu officials is nothing but racial discrimination against Hindus. Its aim is to target minorities on the basis of religion.”
Chakma said that this notification should be seen in the context of the forced resignation of Hindu academics of Bangladesh.
Hindu teachers in Bangladesh forced to resign
Since August 5, more than 50 Hindu academics in Bangladesh have been forced to resign from their jobs.
Students of Bangladesh universities, who were part of the student movement against Sheikh Hasina, are forcing Hindu professors to resign. Students are reaching the homes of those Hindu teachers who are not coming to the campus out of fear and are harassing them.
In this context, Suhas Chakma said that the fear regarding the notification issued by the President’s House is justified and senior Hindu officials of Bangladesh can be targeted and silenced.
Suhas Chakma says, ‘This is a violation of the United Nations human rights laws related to racial discrimination and the rights of minorities. The United Nations should intervene in this.’
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