Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad on Tuesday demanded an end to the use of religion and the communal card ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections.
Placing a 10-point demand at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), the leaders of the Parishad also demanded 60 reserved parliamentary seats for the minority community.
They also urged the formation of a national commission and separate ministry to oversee the affairs of the country’s minorities.
The Parishad sought cooperation from the government, the Election Commission and political parties including main opposition BNP in meeting their demands.
The demands also include preventing recurrence of the recent attacks on the minorities, ensure congenial atmosphere for the minorities to freely exercise their franchise, incorporate a provision in the constitution for protecting the minority, not to enact any law against the interest of the minority, free the constitution from communal stigma, to implement the CHT peace accord and take appropriate steps for resolving the CHT land dispute.
Addressing the press conference, Parishad general secretary advocate Rana Dasgupta said: “If any (political) party wants to come to power through the next parliamentary elections, it will have to promise fulfillment of our demands.”
He said the Parishad would hold discussions with the major political parties immediately after the Eid-ul-Fitr vacation to obtain pledges that they would not use religion and the communal card and would also avoid recurrence of the recent attacks on minorities during the parliamentary elections.
Rana Dasgupta said the major parties have not yet committed anything over minority issues, though they are taking preparation for the next general election.
He lamented that the political parties in the country largely use religion and communal issues in every election.
Rana Dasgupta said that the recent attacks on the minority community came as evidence that the minority people are being subjected to political violence.
He said that since the government did not take any stern action against the attackers, the members of the minority community apprehend the increase of such violence during the next national election.
Leaders of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad Prof Nim Chandra Bhoumik, Hubert Gomez and advocate Subrata Chowdhury were, among others, present in the press conference.
Source: UNBConnect
