Chief adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday visited the historic Dhakeshwari temple. Addressing the distressed Hindu population, Yunus urged them to remain patient before passing judgement on the role of his interim government in the current crisis.
Yunus’ visit to the temple is being seen as an important initiative for the Hindu community. Communal tension in Bangladesh
Yunus, who took over as the chief adviser to the interim government on August 8 following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the subsequent violence targeting minorities, on Tuesday stressed the need for unity and equal rights for all citizens.
“We are a family. We want to build a Bangladesh that is united. There is no question of any discrimination on the basis of religion. Our only identity is that of a Bangladeshi,” Yunus said.
His visit comes in the wake of widespread attacks on the Hindu community, including vandalism of businesses and destruction of temples. Thousands of Hindus took to the streets in Dhaka and Chittagong over the weekend demanding security and justice. Protesters demanded special tribunals to expedite trials for crimes against minorities and demanded that 10% of seats in parliament be allocated to minority groups.
Yunus was accompanied by legal adviser Asif Najrul and religious affairs adviser AFM Khaled Hossain at the Dhakeshwari temple. He interacted with leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Mahanagar Sarvajanin Puja Committee and other community members. Puja Udjapan Parishad president Basudev Dhar described the meeting as “cordial”.
Yunus acknowledged the institutional decay that has contributed to the current unrest, saying, “We have to make sure that institutional systems are working properly. When they do, all communities will benefit. Our first identity is as human beings.”
He also condemned the recent attacks. Described minority communities as “hateful” And urged the youth to stand in solidarity with Hindu, Christian and Buddhist citizens.
Yunus assured the Hindu community that his government was committed to protecting their rights and called for unity along religious lines, stressing that “our only identity is that of human beings.”
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