Violence in Bangladesh: NGOs to hold protest outside high comm

A coalition of 35 Malaysian civil society organisations will hold a peaceful demonstration outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

Global Human Rights Federation president S Shashi Kumar said the gathering is aimed at highlighting the atrocities taking place in Bangladesh and the failure of the Malaysian government and opposition parties to condemn the attacks against the Hindu minority group.

“Houses, businesses and Hindu temples have been vandalised, looted, torched and destroyed, leaving a trail of devastation and trauma in their wake.

“We would also urge and demand for the United Nations to intervene as the newly formed government under Muhammad Yunus has failed to control the situation and the lives of the innocent minorities,” he said in a statement.

The attacks on the Hindus erupted following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Al-Jazeera reported that the Hindus, who comprise the largest minority faith in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, were perceived largely as supporters of Hasina’s party, the Awami League.

On Sunday, Bangladesh’s interim government led by Yunus vowed to “immediately sit with the representative bodies and other concerned groups to find ways to resolve such heinous attacks.”

Earlier today, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he had telephoned Yunus to congratulate him on his appointment and the latter reassured him that the rights of all Bangladeshis, including minorities, will be protected.

Yesterday, former DAP lawmaker Charles Santiago urged Anwar to lend his voice to end the violence perpetrated against the Hindus in Bangladesh.

He also said that numerous Hindu groups in Malaysia have expressed dissatisfaction with the prime minister’s silence on the matter.

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