Hindus feel unsafe in Bangladesh

People of the Hindu community in Bangladesh do not feel safe, according to BJP National Executive Committee Member Arun Halder.

He told BBC Bangla yesterday that he would convey this notion to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Halder and two other Indian politicians came to Bangladesh a few days ago to attend the “International Sanatan Religion Conference” in Madaripur.

The delegation also visited Jhalakathi, Patuakhali and Chittagong.

Talking about the conference, Halder said the Hindus at the meeting raised the issue of their protection and said if protection was not ensured, they would migrate to West Bengal.

He said India was concerned about attacks and repression on the Hindus in various places in Bangladesh. However, he did not blame the government for the situation.

“The Awami League government always protects the interests of the Hindus. This information is well known in India too,” Halder told the BBC.

People who patronise militants and their attacks on the Hindus were trying to give the Awami League government a bad name, he said.

Prime Minister's Political Adviser HT Imam told BBC that the government was committed to ensuring safety of the religious minorities.

“Party-wise we are secular, and if you look at the government, you will see there are comparatively many people from minority communities – and so is the case in workplaces or elsewhere,” Imam said.