Upset with Bangladesh’s top adviser Muhammad Yunus and his inability to halt recurrent violence against minorities, Bangladeshi expats in Canada have called upon their government to act.
On Saturday, some members of Bangladesh’s minority groups attended a large rally in downtown Toronto, calling on Ottawa to openly condemn targeted violence in their homeland particularly acts of rape, mob assault, and temple destruction.
“Prompt action must be taken to stop further escalation and to protect the basic rights of Hindus, Christians and Buddhists in Bangladesh,” protesters insisted.
Reason for the Protest
The protest was organized by Bangladeshi-Canadian Hindus, who further called on Canada to embrace ‘conditional diplomacy’ with Bangladesh. They suggested linking assistance, commerce, and wider global cooperation with ‘verified steps safeguarding religious minorities’.
This protest is issued as Bangladesh has been nearing its first anniversary of the resignation and exodus of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India, where she stays. Yunus, who came to power with hopes of managing elections in advance and protecting minority rights, finds himself targeted by protestors calling for his resignation as a result of his failure to protect the vulnerable.
Among those expressing their discontent was GTA resident Sheuli Sikdar. “Earlier, I used to like him. He is a very educated man, Nobel Prize winner. I myself believed in him. But, since he is sitting there, he is not concerned at all about what is going on outside his office,” she said.
Demonstrators also hailed the prospect of Canadian MPs tabling a motion to denounce the violence when Parliament returns from recess this summer. Representatives of minorities from Bangladesh in Canada are meanwhile clamoring for meetings with top Canadian officials. They will discuss ways that can alleviate their community’s suffering, including making it easier to sponsor refugees for family members who are persecuted in Bangladesh.
Over 2,000 Attacks Documented
A protest pamphlet handed out on Saturday described a bleak picture, reporting that over 2,000 cases of everything from arson and vandalism to rape and murder have been documented in over 40 districts in Bangladesh, resulting in “more than 11 months of uninterrupted attacks, without relief in sight for victims.”
