The government should immediately enact a new law to protect the interests of religious minorities, said leaders of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance on Friday.
At a roundtable discussion organised marking the 15th founding anniversary of the organisation, religious minority leaders and cultural activists said that minorities were being persecuted after 50 years of the country's independence as the state was not secular.
Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance organised the roundtable discussion at the National Press Club and the alliance president Provas Chandra Roy presided over the session.
Freedom fighter and eminent cultural activist Nasiruddin Yousuf said that Bangladesh did not established as a secular country after 50 years of its birth.
Peace will not be established in the country until attacks on religious and national minorities will not be stopped, Nasiruddin said.
The state should take actions to stop attacks on minorities, Nasiuddin added.
General secretary of Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, Rana Dashgupta said that it was unfortunate that after 50 years of the country's independence minorities were facing repressions in Bangladesh.
He called on ruling Awami League to implement its election pledges made in the manifesto of 2018 general election.
The alliance's president, Provas Chandra Roy, demanded that a new law should be enacted safeguarding the minority people of the country.
He also demanded the formation of a separate commission for protecting life and properties of Hindu minorities.
Provas also wanted a separate ministry to oversee the development of the minorities.
He opposed the move to amend the Hindu Inheritance Law and called on the government to refrain from the initiative.
The chief coordinator of the grand alliance, Shyamal Kumar Roy, spokesperson Palash Kanti Dey and others also spoke at the roundtable discussion.
Source: New Age BD0 COMMENTS
