Transparency International calls for effective protection of minorities and state properties in violence-hit Bangladesh

DHAKA: Terming attacks on minorities as “against the fundamental spirit” of the students’ movement, Transparency International Bangladesh has called on authorities to ensure the security of religious minorities and state assets in the violence-hit nation, media reports said on Wednesday.

As the army took charge following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster and the death toll in the violence, in which temples were also attacked, rose to 440, President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved Parliament on Tuesday and appointed 84-year-old Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus as the head of an upcoming interim government.

Several Hindu temples, households and businesses have been vandalised and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with Hasina’s Awami League party have been killed in the violence, according to two community leaders in Dhaka.

According to a Daily Star report, there was massive vandalism and destruction at popular folk band Joler Gaan’s frontman Rahul Ananda's residence on Monday prompting the singer and his family to take shelter at a secret place.

“Rahul Da and his family are shaken and take shelter to a secret place known to only a few. We could not contact him yet. It was not even his house, it was a rental he was living in for decades,” the media report said quoting Saiful Islam Jarnal, one of Joler Gaan's founding members.

Jarnal described that the mob after broking the main gate, started ravaging the house taking whatever they could find for themselves - from furniture, mirrors to valuables and then torched the whole house along with Rahul Anand's musical instruments. The fire also devoured the musician’s collection of over 3,000 musical instruments, which he designed and made over the years, the Daily Star said.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) “strongly condemned incidents of communal violence across districts, including attacks on homes, places of worship, mandirs, and businesses belonging to religious minorities during the critical period of regime change,” the Dhaka Tribune newspaper said.

Stating that the TIB also condemned the arbitrary arson and looting of critical state infrastructure and vehicles, it said, the anti-corruption organisation commented that such self-interest and communal activities -- through the unprecedented loss of lives and sacrifice of the students and citizens -- can derail and cast doubts on the opportunity to rebuild the nation “with equality, justice, and good governance.”

In a statement on Tuesday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman urged all responsible authorities to take immediate steps to ensure the security of religious minorities and state assets. “It is extremely disheartening and disappointing that we have to demand protection of religious minorities and state assets amidst the unprecedented victorious moment of the movement where hundreds of students and citizens shed blood to demand equality, harmony, and equal rights of everyone.

“The ongoing movement against discrimination was successful because of the spontaneous participation of general people regardless of their race, religion, class, or profession,” he said.

“The students, whom we are calling minorities due to their religious identities, joined the movement! They were martyred and injured! How are we supposed to face their families? Such attacks on minorities are against the fundamental spirit of the anti-discrimination student movement,” Iftekharuzzaman said in the statement.

“We sincerely urge all the responsible factions to fulfil their essential responsibilities in ensuring that the opportunity to rebuild our country brought by the sacrifice of students and citizens do not go to the hands of communal forces and narrow interests,” he said

The paper further reported that the statement, mentioning the recent violence and attacks on the parliament building, court premises, residence of the chief justice, government institutions, police stations, households, and businesses, said, “Those who are destroying state assets for revenge must think that any government that comes to power has to rebuild these state institutions.”

Dr Iftekharuzzaman also strongly demanded effective steps to protect religious minorities, mandirs and places of worship, and state assets. “Regardless of everyone's religion, colour, class, or profession, I earnestly call on everyone to play their particular responsibilities in re-establishing a nation that is equitable, just, and well-governed by overcoming resentment and selfish, vested interests.”