Haridwar, Jan 6 (IANS) Expressing serious concern over the reported atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) International President Alok Kumar on Tuesday said that so-called political Islam believes in brutality and cruelty.
Speaking to IANS, Alok Kumar said, “It is a matter of deep concern that so-called political Islam believes in brutality and cruelty, in killing through suffering and torture. In Bangladesh, such violence begins before every election and, many times, continues even after the elections.”
He further alleged that this pattern of violence has been ongoing since 1946.
“That is why the Vishva Hindu Parishad is making efforts to awaken the conscience of the entire world. We are urging the governments of every country where Hindus live to take action against Bangladesh. We are also appealing to those countries that provide aid and assistance to Bangladesh to put pressure on it to reduce the atrocities being committed against Hindus,” he told IANS.
Alok Kumar also expressed surprise over what he described as the silence of certain Muslim organisations.
“It is strange that we were expecting Jamiat and other Muslim groups to speak on this issue. Dipu Chandra was brutally murdered after it was alleged that he had disrespected Islam. However, he had only said that every religion is equal,” he said.
Questioning the interpretation of religious intolerance, Kumar added, “If saying that every religion is equal is considered disrespect to Islam, then how will this principle be applied in India? I believe the whole world needs to reflect on this. This is a jihadist definition of extremism.”
Meanwhile, two Hindu men were killed in separate incidents within a 24-hour period in Bangladesh, as violence against religious minorities, particularly the Hindu community, continues to rise, according to local media reports.
The first victim, identified as 40-year-old Sarat Chakraborty Mani, was fatally attacked in Narsingdi district on Monday night, in Dhaka, with sharp weapons allegedly by an extremist armed religious group.
Citing local residents and eyewitnesses, Bangladeshi weekly ‘Blitz’ reported that Mani was at his grocery shop at Charsindur Bazaar in Palash Upazila of Narsingdi when unidentified assailants suddenly attacked him with sharp weapons. He was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries while being taken to the hospital.
In the second incident, a Hindu businessman was shot dead in public in Monirampur Upazila of Jashore district.
The deceased, identified as 38-year-old Rana Pratap Bairagi, owned an ice manufacturing factory in Kapalia Bazar, Monirampur, and also served as the acting editor of Bangladeshi newspaper ‘Dainik BD Khobor’ published from Narail.
The incident occurred at Kopalia Bazar on Monday evening.
Citing local residents and police, Bangladeshi Bengali daily Prothom Alo reported that three assailants arrived on a motorcycle around 5:45 pm on Monday, called Rana out of his ice factory, took him to a nearby lane, and fatally shot him in the head at close range before they fled.
Confirming the attack, Monirampur police station’s officer-in-charge (OC), Md Raziullah Khan, said the body has been recovered and would be transferred to the mortuary of Jashore Hospital for post-mortem.
He added that the motive for the killing remains unclear, while the identities of the perpetrators are under investigation, and legal action is in progress.
These latest attacks highlight a disturbing surge in violence targeting Hindu communities throughout Bangladesh.
Earlier on Saturday, another Hindu man, Khokon Chandra Das, died after being brutally attacked by a mob of miscreants in Damudya Upazila of Shariatpur district.
Last week, 40-year-old Bajendra Biswas was shot dead by a colleague in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh district.
On December 24 last year, Bangladeshi media reported the killing of another Hindu youth, identified as 29-year-old Amrit Mondal, who was allegedly lynched by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union in Bangladesh.
Also on December 18 last year, a 25-year-old Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, was brutally killed in a mob lynching incident over false blasphemy accusations by a Muslim coworker at his factory in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh.
–IANS
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