DHAKA, Oct 22, 2023 (BSS) - Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad today heavily came down on Jamaat-BNP's recent effort to project "minorities are not secured" under the current government, saying the clique designed this campaign to "score political points".
 
The Oikya Parishad also reminded the BNP-Jamaat combine of their refusal to acknowledge "state sponsored" communal attacks on thousands were fuelled while they were in power in the past.
 
"This campaign (of BNP-Jamaat) was designed to score political points that are unfortunate for minorities," BHBC Oikya Parishad Secretary Advocate Rana Dasgupta told BSS.
 
He also said whenever the combine helmed the government "we witnessed state sponsored atrocities against minorities".
 
"The horrific tale of atrocities against minorities can be described into two segments: 'state sponsored persecution and political and social persecution with very much involvement of BNP-Jamaat".
 
Asked about recent efforts by Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Nationalist Party's effort to stand for minorities, Rana recounted "when Begum Zia-led BNP formed government in 1990, a grisly spell of state sponsored attacks-killing, rape, looting, torching worship places and houses,-- descended on minorities that lasted for 27 days across the country".
 
"Even when they were in opposition as the trial of war crimes started after 2009, particularly in case of Delwar Hossain Sayeede, we saw minorities were targeted as another grisly wave of attack was staged" he added, hinting at followers of war criminals who desired to ensure impunity for war criminals.
 
After death of the convicted war criminal Sayedee, BNP and Jamaat both parties hailed him who was found guilty of rape, murder and the persecution on Hindu community with Pakistan army to stop the birth of the country back in 1971 during war crimes trial, he said.
 
Following the verdict of Sayeede, a rumour was circulated by Jamaat that he had been sighted on the moon resorting to attacks on minorities in different parts, he added.
 
"Later in 2001, when BNP came to power in league with Jamaat, another spell of state sponsored campaign, that witnessed at least 28000 attacks including killing, rape, looting, torching places of worship and houses, have been identified and documented by several rights groups including BHBC Oikya Parishad where involvement of the then parliamentarians and ministers of BNP Jamaat were found".
 
Replying to question over the attack on Cumilla presidium member of the platform, it’s another leader Ranjan Karmaker said, "It is reassuring us, before the start of the puja, to see that two of the attackers were arrested and we demand law enforcers identify them who took part in the attack and bring the perpetrators to the book".
 "With beginning of puja, we would like to see strong measures from law enforcers across the country," he also said
 
Number of pandals increased this year as last year saw smooth celebration of puja, he said.
 
Ranjan added "the situation is quite reassuring so far. But we are expecting support from law enforcers and administration to ensure that puja ends in a fair and peaceful  manner". 

Any reasonable comparative analysis of political leaders who helmed the country over the last four decades since 1975, "Sheikh Hasina is the only leader who emerged as the beacon light of hope for us", he added.
 
Ranjan also said "even in election manifesto, BNP never incorporated the demands of the religious and ethnic minorities that they deem essential for equal rights".
 
"The decade old politics of appeasing fundamentalists led BNP to show sheer disregard to even acknowledge our demands in their manifesto while AL remains committed to incorporating our rights issues to their manifesto".
 
Even a dormitory for minority students was not spared by BNP-Jamaat, said the former student leader of the hall, recounting that how the resident students came under attack every time AL went out of power.