A letter petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, seeking inquiry into the recent attacks on Hindu temples and killing of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Advocate Vineet Jindal, practising before the Supreme Court of India, sent this letter to Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, to take cognisance and direct the government of Bangladesh to conduct an independent inquiry by a sitting judge of the Court.
The letter petition seeks direction to the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of lives of Minority Hindus as provided under article 11 of Constitution of Bangladesh. To protect and secure the rights and dignity of Hindu women residing in Bangladesh. Further seeks an Order to provide adequate security at all Hindu temples and places where Hindu ceremonies are conducted as provided under Article 23 of Constitution of Bangladesh. The letter also seeks Direction to the Government of Bangladesh to grant compensation of ৳1,00,000,00/- to the families of Hindus victims who have been killed owing to their Minority Hindu status in Bangladesh.
He states, “Hindu religion followers have been threatened to forceful conversion of religion, although the Constitution of Bangladesh, Article-11 Guarantees that, Democracy and human rights:- The Republic shall be a democracy in which fundamental human rights and freedoms and respect for the dignity and worth of the human person shall be guaranteed, and in which effective participation by the people through their elected representatives in administration at all levels shall be ensured. Article -23 provides, National Culture:- The State shall adopt measures to conserve the cultural traditions and heritage of the people, and so to foster and improve the national language, literature and the arts that all sections of the people are afforded the opportunity to contribute towards and to participate in the enrichment of the national culture. Further Article 28, Provides for non-discrimination only on ground of Religion, race, cast, sex or place of birth.”
But the state of Bangladesh has miserably failed to provide protection to the Hindu temples and other religious importance which are constantly subjected to damage, defacement and illegal occupation further the Hindu religion and life of the follower of Hindu religion are in immense danger, the letter avers.
The letter further states that the Constitution of Bangladesh has given right to every citizen including Hindus to practice religion with dignity and maintain and manage its religious institutions. The Constitution of a country depicts its principles that how the citizens of a country will live their life, the rights and duties of the citizen of a country and therefore the government is duty bound to protect their Constitutional rights.
For last many years, gross violation of Human rights of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh had been reported but the Government of Bangladesh has been unsuccessful to take stringent measures to protect and secure the rights of its Hindu minority community, it adds.
It further states, In the recent time, incidents of damaging Hindu temples and killings of Hindus are increasing significantly which has also been creating negative image for Bangladesh at International level. Bangladesh government has been vowing to protect the Hindus on numerous occasions but the rising number of incidents reported regarding damaging of Hindu Temples and other Human Right violation surely is evident of the fact that Bangladesh Government has failed to secure the rights of Hindus which has been duly granted by your Constitution.
Read the letter here:
Letter-Petition-to-CJB-Bangladesh