Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance yesterday demanded 60 reserved seats in parliament for religious and ethnic communities and a separate election procedure through which the communities would elect their respective representatives.
Protesting the recent attacks on Hindus centring the January 5 election, the alliance leaders also demanded judicial investigation into the attacks, immediate arrest of the perpetrators and punishment for them and compensation for the victims and their rehabilitation.
Addressing a sit-in in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital, they also threatened to refrain from voting if their demands were not met.
To press home the demands, the alliance launched a signature campaign which the leaders said would be sent to the prime minister, Speaker, BNP chairperson and Election Commission on January 30.
The alliance Secretary General Gobinda Chandra Pramanik urged for not using issues centring Hindus for political gains.
Hindus were never safe in the present election process and continuation of this system will leave the country devoid of the religious community within the next 20 years, he said.
Among others, the alliance Chief Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Jayonto Kumar Sen and Advocate Dinbandhu Roy addressed the programme.
Meanwhile, protesting the attacks, several hundred Hindus of Gopalganj's Kotalipara upazila formed a human chain at Kotalipara sadar.