Allocate Tk 2,000cr for minorities
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad yesterday demanded that at least Tk 2,000 crore be allocated in the upcoming budget for the development and welfare of the minority communities.
The government was discriminating against them when allocating a budget for the religious affairs ministry and an end to such discrimination and equal distribution of resources must be ensured to establish a secular democratic county, it said.
In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, Tk 243.35 crore was allocated for Bangladesh Islamic Foundation while Hindu Religious Welfare Trust got Tk 70 lakh, Buddhist Religious Welfare Trust Tk 80 lakh and Christian Religious Welfare Trust Tk 10 lakh.
Such discrimination has been going on for decades, the parishad General Secretary Rana Dasgupta told a press conference organised in the capital's Jatiya Press Club to place the demand.
Moreover, the government allocates a particular amount of money every year only for the Hajj sector, he read out from a statement, demanding transforming the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian religious trusts into foundations for widening the development activities.
Over a dozen parishad leaders, including Presidium Member Kajal Debnath, attended the conference.
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