Eighteen Hindus have been charged with sedition for hoisting a saffron flag, exposing the focused focusing on of minorities in Bangladesh that even former US president Donald Trump has spoken about. Two individuals have been arrested. The case seems to be one in every of retaliation, and comes at a time when Hindu organizations held a big assembly in Chattogram looking for a regulation and court docket for the safety of minorities.
A sedition case, Bangladesh specialists instructed India Right this moment Digital, wouldn’t have been filed with out the approval of Bangladesh House Ministry officers. In accordance with them, the particular person in command of a police station wouldn’t have acted alone in such circumstances.
Along with the 18 Hindus charged with sedition, the grievance names between 15 and 20 unidentified individuals, leaving room so as to add names within the case at a later date.
The incident for which the sedition case has been filed is from October 25, when Hindu organizations held an enormous rally in Chattogram to press their eight-point demand. The eight-point demand contains the formation of a court docket to prosecute those that oppress minorities, the promulgation of a regulation on minority safety and the institution of a ministry for minorities.
“A piece of individuals in Bangladesh have tried to challenge the eight-point demand as whether it is backed by the Awami League and the Indian authorities,” Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a kind of accused of sedition and president of Pundarik Dham. .
He provides that the protests should not political or towards the Bangladesh authorities, however slightly to stress the administration to work to protect minority rights.
Communal sentiment has prevailed in Bangladesh, and the Hindu inhabitants has declined from 22% in 1951 (then East Pakistan) to lower than 8% at the moment. Between 1964 and 2013, Greater than 11 million Hindus fled Bangladesh attributable to non secular persecution.in keeping with the Hindu American Basis.
The sedition case was filed by Firoz Khan at Kotwali police station in Chattogram on October 30. In accordance with the Bangladesh Penal Code of 1860, sedition can carry jail sentences of as much as life imprisonment.
In a video of the incident, which has now gone viral, a gaggle of individuals carrying saffron headbands may be seen inserting saffron flags close to a flag that was projected because the nationwide flag of Bangladesh at Zero Level within the space. of Chattogram New Market.
“The Sanatani organizations had nothing to do with the saffron flags being hoisted. The incident occurred 2 kilometers from the Lal Dighi protest website,” Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, one of many accused, instructed India Right this moment. sedition and president of Pundarik Dham. Digital.
“I had no reference to the case. On the time of the incident I used to be on the native BNP workplace,” provides Das.
Chattogram’s Pundarik Dham is without doubt one of the two holiest pilgrimage websites for Hindus in Bangladesh. Das can also be a spokesperson for Sanatan Jagaran Mancha.
“The sedition case was filed on the night time of October 31 by a neighborhood Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP) chief,” says Das, including that the BNP’s high management was not conscious of it.
“I heard that I too could be arrested, however the motion may very well be delayed because of the protests that may happen throughout Bangladesh, demanding that the sedition case be dropped,” in keeping with Das, often called Chandan Kumar Dhar earlier than taking diksha (a ceremony of initiation).
Bangladesh’s Hindu chief says the case is fallacious in some ways.
“To begin with, the flag that has been branded because the nationwide flag of Bangladesh has 4 crescents and stars within the 4 corners and is an Islamist flag. Secondly, the so-called nationwide flag had been flown in disobedience to the flag guidelines. Thirdly, the saffron flags have been hoisted on separate poles,” Das tells India Right this moment Digital.
The sedition case comes even when Donald Trump criticized the silence even when Hindus have been going through assaults in Bangladesh.
“I strongly condemn the barbaric violence towards Hindus, Christians and different minorities who’re being attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which stays in a complete state of chaos,” Trump tweeted.
Indian leaders, together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has additionally highlighted the necessity to safeguard the pursuits of Hindus, by the Bangladeshi institution.
Sanatani chief Das says Hindu organizations in Bangladesh start their applications by hoisting the nationwide flag of Bangladesh and singing the nationwide anthem.
“Crucial query is why law-abiding residents who respect nationwide symbols are attacked, whereas those that discuss altering the flag and anthem stroll free,” Das asks.
The federal government of interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus and Bangladesh’s important events should urgently reply this query.
