Bangladesh rights group expresses dismay over Yunus's denial of minority persecution

Dhaka [Bangladesh], September 30 (ANI): Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, a human rights organisation dedicated to combating religious discrimination, has expressed deep regret and indignation over the statement made by Interim Government Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus.

In an interview with GTO on Tuesday, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Dr. Yunus reportedly dismissed allegations of persecution against the Hindu minority during his government's tenure as "baseless."

A statement from the Parishad described the Chief Adviser's comments as a "denial of the truth." In a protest letter issued to the media, the Oikya Parishad's central committee responded to the Chief Adviser's remarks, stating that during a consultation meeting held on August 13, 2024, with Dr Yunus and religious and ethnic minority leaders, they strongly demanded an immediate halt to the ongoing violence, especially against the Hindu community.

Furthermore, the Parishad highlighted that the UN Fact-Finding Mission Report dated February 12, 2025, also documented the persecution of minorities, including the Hindu community, that has been ongoing since August 5, 2024, and which "continues sporadically and in isolated incidents across the country."

The statement also pointed out that Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus had previously acknowledged the persecution of the Hindu community and other minorities following August 5, 2024, during an interview with the American news outlet NPR on October 1, 2024. This acknowledgement was subsequently published in the Bangladesh daily newspaper Prothom Alo.

There have been reports of institutional persecution of minorities, including Hindus, in Bangladesh under Yunus' interim government. The USCIRF has released a factsheet highlighting the persecution of Hindus and other religious minorities. (ANI)

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