Students chant slogans as they protest to demand accountability and trial against Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Reaching out to the distressed Hindu community members at the famous Dhakeshwari Temple here, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday (August 13) urged the people to “exercise patience” before judging his government’s role.

Mr. Yunus, who took charge as the Chief Advisor of the interim government on August 8 amid ongoing violence and vandalism, including against the minorities, also said each one’s rights should be ensured and blamed “institutional decay” for the predicament that his country has fallen into.

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The meeting comes close on the heels of attacks on the minority Hindu population, vandalisation of their business and properties and devastation of Hindu temples hours in the violence that ensued for days following the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5.

Dhakeshwari temple is one of the prominent shakti peethas.

“Rights are equal for everyone. We are all one people with one right. Do not make any distinctions among us. Please, assist us. Exercise patience, and later judge — what we were able to do and not. If we fail, then criticise us,” Yunus was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper.

Earlier ahead of the weekend, thousands of minority Hindu community members staged massive protest rallies in Bangladesh’s capital and the north-eastern port city of Chattagram on Friday and Saturday demanding protection amid nationwide vandalism that saw attacks on temples and their households and businesses.

Demanding special tribunals to expedite trials of those who persecute the minorities, allocation of 10 per cent parliamentary seats for the minorities, and enactment of a minority protection law among others, the Hindu demonstrators’ rally blocked traffic for over three hours at Shahbagh in the central part of Dhaka on Saturday.

On Saturday itself, Mr. Yunus had condemned attacks on the minority communities in the violence-hit nation, terming them as “heinous” and had urged the youth to protect all Hindu, Christian, and Buddhists.

Members of minority communities in Bangladesh faced at least 205 incidents of attacks in 52 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 till the weekend, according to two Hindu organisations — Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad — in the country.

On Tuesday, after reaching the Dhakeshwari temple, Yunus exchanged greetings with the leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee, as well as officials from the temple management board and devotees, The Daily Star said.

“In our democratic aspirations, we should not be seen as Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists, but as human beings. Our rights should be ensured. The root of all problems lies in the decay of institutional arrangements. That is why such issues arise. Institutional arrangements need to be fixed,” Mr. Yunus added.

Prof Yunus was accompanied by Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain.

President Puja Udjapan Parishad Basudeb Dhar, its General Secretary Santosh Sharma, President of the Sarbajanin Puja Committee Jayanta Kumar Dev, General Secretary Tapas Chandra Pal, and Presidium Member of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council Kajol Debnath and Joint General Secretary Manindra Kumar Nath were also present.

Mr. Dhar described the meeting with Yunus as “cordial.” Clad in his trademark kurta-pyjama, Mr. Yunus sat along with his officials and interacted with the Hindu community in the temple premises.

A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stands guard at the India-Bangladesh border checkpost, at Hili in Dakshin Dinajpur district on August 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

A top adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government on Monday (August 12, 2024) said that deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s extended stay in India will not hurt bilateral relations and Dhaka will always try to maintain good relations with New Delhi.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain made the remarks when asked whether bilateral ties with India would be affected if Ms. Hasina’s stay in India gets prolonged.

“This is a hypothetical question. If someone stays in a country why the relations with that particular country would be affected? There is no reason for that,” he said, emphasising that bilateral relations are a big matter.

Ms. Hasina, 76, resigned and fled to India last week following widespread protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

Md. Hossain said bilateral relations are a relation of interest and friendship is also of interest. “Friendship does not exist if the interest is hurt.”

He said the two sides — Bangladesh and India — have interests and they will follow those interests. Md. Hossain said the relationship between the two countries “is not influenced by the presence of one individual in a country” while “India has its interests, and Bangladesh has its interests”.

Md. Hossain said they will “always try to maintain good relations” with India.

Earlier, he briefed the diplomats stationed in Dhaka, including Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, on the situation in Bangladesh and sought their support.

“We believe that all our friends and partners in the international community would continue to stand by the interim government and our people as we embark on charting a new future for Bangladesh,” Md. Hossain told the diplomats.

Md. Hossain, a career diplomat and former foreign secretary, reaffirmed that Bangladesh was committed to upholding all agreements made with other countries.

The adviser accused the Awami League regime of committing gross human rights violations in their attempts to suppress a popular movement eventually resulting in its ouster.

“However, the sheer power of people ultimately led to the fall of all authoritarian regimes,” Md. Hossain said, adding that Bangladesh had experienced a “second liberation” last week driven by a mass uprising led by “our courageous students”.

The adviser said the interim government was committed to meeting the renewed expectations of the people and expressed confidence that the international community would continue to support the interim government and the people of Bangladesh as they work towards a new future.

“Bangladesh is on the brink of a new beginning,” he said.

The adviser informed the diplomats that the government has taken quick and decisive measures to restore law and order and bring back normalcy across the country.

Representatives from all diplomatic missions in Dhaka, including U.N. agencies, attended the briefing while they inquired about security measures, the Rohingya issue, and the current situation.

“We can assure that the safety and security of the diplomatic and consular premises and persons will remain one of our core priorities,” Md. Hossain said, adding the interim government remained sensitized to the need to ensure the protection of all foreign citizens.

Md. Hossain said that the government would remain focused on a smooth transition to “inclusive and pluralistic electoral democracy as soon as possible”.

During his first press briefing at the foreign ministry on Sunday, Md. Hossain was asked about the possibility of bringing home Ms. Hasina. He replied that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the law ministry while his office would respond only if that ministry makes any such request.

“Our policy is to maintain good relations with all countries while protecting our national interests,” said Md. Hossain, whose position is equivalent to a minister.

“We intend to maintain smooth and positive relations with all … including India and China,” said Md. Hossain, who previously served as a deputy high commissioner to India.

When asked about the interim government’s approach towards India, Md. Hossain said both countries share a strong and deep bond.

“(But) it is important that people feel India is a good friend of Bangladesh…We want that, we want to advance the (Dhaka-Delhi) relation towards that direction,” said Md. Hossain, a career diplomat and former foreign secretary.