Bangladesh’s Awami League alleges widespread persecution of religious minorities since August 2024, citing discrimination, job dismissals, property seizures and the killing of a retired Hindu teacher’s family in Rangpur.
Bangladesh’s Awami League on Friday alleged widespread discrimination and persecution of religious minorities across the country since August 2024, accusing the government of failing to protect minority communities and address incidents of violence and alleged discrimination.
In a statement issued on its social media platform X, the Awami League claimed that members of religious minority communities have faced dismissals from employment, denial of promotions and what it described as undeclared restrictions on entering government service. The party also alleged that homes, land and businesses belonging to minorities have been seized.
The allegations come amid renewed political debate over the security and rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh. The Awami League linked its claims to the recent killing of retired Hindu teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and his entire family in Rangpur city.
According to the Awami League, the government’s response to the Rangpur killings, including actions involving the Home Ministry, reflects what the party described as a continuing pattern of persecution that began after August 5, 2024.
“It is extremely unfortunate that since August 5, 2024, religious minorities across the country have faced dismissals from employment, denial of promotions, undeclared restrictions on entering government service, and various forms of oppression and persecution, including the seizure of homes, land, and businesses,” the party said in its statement.
The Awami League further alleged that the killing of Ganapati Chakraborty and his family, followed by the government’s response, demonstrated the continuation of what it called a communal system of governance.
The party said that several religious and human rights organisations in Bangladesh had also expressed concern over the situation involving minority communities.
The Awami League’s statement also targeted Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed over remarks concerning land belonging to the historic Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka.
Ahmed reportedly made the remarks during an event at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Thursday, held to mark Janmashtami. According to Bangladesh’s Daily Sun, the Home Minister said he had inspected the temple’s land in 1996 while serving as a member of a Standing Committee related to the Land Ministry.
“At that time, it was seen that about two and a half acres of the property was under the control of the government. The rest of the property was in the possession of the Awami League,” the newspaper quoted Ahmed as saying.
The Awami League strongly rejected the Home Minister’s allegation, describing the remarks as false. The party accused the government of spreading misinformation rather than addressing concerns surrounding the rights and security of religious minorities.
The party called on the government to ensure the religious rights and public security of all citizens, regardless of their religious identity.
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The allegations by the Awami League add to ongoing political tensions in Bangladesh over the treatment and protection of minority communities. The party’s claims regarding employment discrimination, property seizures and violence remain allegations made by the Awami League and form part of a wider political dispute over governance and minority rights in the country.
