Sanatani Hindu Sena protests in Agartala over Bangladesh lynching
Agartala Dec 20: Concerns over the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh resurfaced on Saturday after activists of the Sanatani Hindu Sena staged a protest in Agartala against the alleged lynching of a Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in the neighbouring country.
The demonstrators gathered outside the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission here to condemn the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, alleging that the incident reflected a growing pattern of violence targeting minority communities.
According to reports, the 27-year-old was lynched by a mob on December 18 over allegations of blasphemy, following which his body was reportedly set on fire. The incident has triggered outrage among sections of civil society and minority groups in both Bangladesh and India.
Protesters alleged that religious minorities, particularly Hindus, were facing increasing insecurity in Bangladesh and accused the authorities of failing to prevent such attacks or ensure accountability.
Sanatani Hindu Sena district president Gautam Laskar described the Mymensingh incident as “inhuman and brutal” and claimed that repeated attacks on minorities had created an atmosphere of fear. He said the protest aimed to draw attention to what the group termed as systematic violence against minority communities.
Despite strong emotions surrounding the issue, the demonstrators maintained a peaceful stance, Laskar said, adding that the organisation believed in democratic methods of protest.
Police and security personnel were deployed in large numbers around the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission to prevent any untoward incident. Officials said the situation remained under control throughout the demonstration.
Meanwhile, media reports from Bangladesh quoted interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus as saying that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested seven persons in connection with the lynching case. Investigations into the incident are underway.
Earlier, on December 17, India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah to formally express New Delhi’s grave concern over the worsening security environment in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has seen a surge in attacks on minority communities, including Hindus, during the Yunus-led interim administration, drawing condemnation from citizens and various human rights groups worldwide.
The situation further deteriorated following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the radical organisation Inqilab Mancha, which triggered fresh unrest across several regions, including the capital Dhaka.
Hadi, who had emerged as a prominent figure during last year’s uprising against the former Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was shot by unidentified assailants while leaving a mosque in Dhaka last week.
Although he was initially injured and flown to Singapore for medical treatment, he succumbed to his injuries on December 18.