British Hindus protest outside UK Parliament against persecution in Bangladesh

Ansar Ahmed Ullah:

London, 10 December 2024 – On Human Rights Day, members of the British Bangladeshi Hindu community gathered outside the UK Parliament to protest against the ongoing persecution of minority communities in Bangladesh.

The protesters, representing the British Bangladeshi diaspora, voiced alarm over reported human rights violations targeting Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Citing a series of violent incidents, they condemned attacks on temples, destruction of property, religious harassment, and the alleged wrongful arrest of Hindu religious leader Chinmay Das Prabhu.

The demonstrators highlighted recent attacks on ISKCON temples and the desecration of religious idols as evidence of escalating threats to minority communities. They called on the Bangladesh government to take swift and decisive measures to ensure the safety and rights of its minority populations.

Their demands included prosecuting perpetrators of violence, implementing stronger legal protections for minorities, the release of Chinmay Das Prabhu, and enhancing security for religious institutions. The protesters also emphasised the need to preserve Bangladesh’s heritage of pluralism and coexistence, warning that fear and insecurity were driving minority families to abandon their ancestral homes.

“All communities—Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians—are brothers and sisters,” one protester stated, urging unity and mutual care to build a better society.

The demonstration coincided with postponing a seminar organised by the Conservative Friends of Bangladesh. The event, which was to feature high-profile speakers, including MPs, academics, and human rights advocates, aimed to address similar issues of minority rights and governance in Bangladesh. Among the scheduled speakers were Lord Alex Carlile KC, Bob Blackman MP, and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, alongside other prominent figures from the UK and Bangladesh.

The protest underscored growing concerns within the diaspora about the plight of minorities in Bangladesh and called for international attention to the issue.