The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council on Thursday said that pressure from the ruling Awami League and AL independent candidates on the religious minorities, especially on the Hindu community people, increased across the country as the day of the general election drew nearer.
The council’s central monitoring cell found that many candidates were delivering instigating speeches and spreading condemnation using illicit words during their election campaigns, said a press release of the council issued on the day.
The release also claimed that some candidates made announcements to prevent religious minorities from casting their votes and some candidates were announcing to cast votes in favour of a particular symbol.
The candidates also threatened to harm them (religious minorities) if they failed to comply.
They claimed that if the Election Commission and the law enforcement agencies could not take immediate and stern steps, torture of religious minority communities, especially the Hindus, would go beyond the tolerance level on the election day or soon after the announcement of the polls results.
AL Jamalganj upazila unit general secretary M Nabi Hossain, in the presence of the AL independent candidate for Sunamganj 1, Moazzem Hossain Ratan, also the ruling party incumbent lawmaker, said, ‘Now, you all become united in support of ‘boat’ [the electoral symbol of AL]. Our lawmaker Moazzem Hossain Ratan gave such facilities for the Hindus what the Muslims did not get in the past 15 years. We, Muslims, account for 87 per cent in constituencies while religious minorities constitute the rest 13 per cent.’
AL official candidate for Sunamganj 1 constituency is Ranjit Sarkar.
He urged the voters to take a decision whether they would cast their votes for the Muslim candidate or not as 87 per cent of them are the Muslims.
Dhaloharachandra Union chairman Matiur Rahman Biswas and his followers were receiving threats for not seeking vote for AL-nominated candidate for Jhenaidah 1 as they were working for the independent candidate.
‘If they do cast vote for boat, they will have to leave their homes,’ the release said.
The religious minorities are facing pressure, threats, torture, acts of vandalism at temples in constituencies, including, Bagerhat 3, Gaibandha 2, Satkhira 2. Jashore 4 and Barishal 2.
The minorities also faced threats in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar as well.
The nation is going to hold the 12th parliamentary elections boycotted by the major opposition political parties, including the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party demanding the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and holding the January 7 general election under a non-party administration.
New Age
