Ensure justice for minorities attacked during shutdown

Sixteen noted citizens yesterday demanded justice for the attacks on minority communities, violence against women, land grabbing, harassment of common people, and torture of journalists, all of which took place during the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

In particular, they demanded stern legal action against the perpetrators involved in the torture, harassment and violation of human rights of the country's minority communities.

Protesting the incidents and demanding prevention, the noted citizens, who represent different national-level civil society and human rights platforms, sent separate letters of memorandum to the home minister and law minister yesterday, said a press release.

The noted citizens are: Sultana Kamal, Justice Nizamul Huq, Hameeda Hossain, Iftekharuzzaman, Khushi Kabir, Prof Abul Barkat, Advocate Rana Dasgupta, Meghna Guhathakurta, Sara Hossain, Advocate ZI Khan Panna, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Sanjeeb Drong, Advocate Tobarak Hossain, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Kajal Debnath and Shamsul Huda.

They said hundreds of people died from Covid-19 while several law enforcement agency members, doctors and health service workers also died of the disease in line of duty.

"At the same time, we sadly learnt that even in this crisis, fear has spread among minority community people as there were attacks on their lives and livelihoods. Both religious and ethnic minority communities were attacked, there were attempts of land-grabbing, their religious practices and places of worship were attacked," the signatories said in their letter.

Women and children were not spared either, they added.

Referring to media reports and different social organisations, they said at least 30 incidents of violence against minority community people took place in April and May in the country amid the shutdown.

Lately, in May 15, houses of 10 Hindu families were vandalised and a so-called Hindu youth was arrested on allegation of demeaning religion in Bhola's Monpura.

Two days later, miscreants torched the homestead of Baul Ronesh Thakur, a prominent disciple of Baul Shah Abdul Karim, in Sunamganj's Derai.

"Besides, there is allegation that in this time of coronavirus different controversial provisions of the Digital Security Act have been misused to suppress and harass journalists, social workers, and common citizens who are active in social networks where they exercise their freedom of speech guaranteed by the constitution."

The noted citizens said they believe stern action against the perpetrators should be taken right now.

Allowing these incidents to continue will deteriorate peace in the country, tarnishing the government's image and creating instability in society.