A delegation of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad held a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban Wednesday afternoon.
The Oikya Parishad's delegation included former MP Ushatan Talukdar, Dr Nimchandra Bhowmik, Nirmal Rosario, Advocate Rana Dasgupta, Kajal Debnath, Bhadanta Sunandapriya, JL Bhowmik, Milan Kanti Dutta and Manindra Kumar Nath, according to a press release. Awami League Office Secretary Biplab Barua and central committee member Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee were also present at the time.
On behalf of Oikya Parishad, general secretary of the organization Advocate Rana Dasgupta highlighted the socio-economic problems of religious-ethnic minorities and tribal people in detail and said: “You know all this, but I am bringing it to your kind attention because the solution is in your hands.”
Courtesy Rana Dasgupta, while appreciating the development of the country in the last 14 years, mentioned: “Due to the gradual backwardness of the society in terms of mind and mentality, the country has not been free from communalism and religious discrimination even today. Radicalism, militancy is on the rise. Homes, business establishments, monasteries-temples-churches of religious-ethnic minorities and tribal groups are being attacked by communal evil forces at various times. Rapes, abductions, forced conversions are ongoing.
“The far-reaching goal behind this is to make Bangladesh minority-free. Over the past seven decades, the minority community has turned from a progressive community to a backward community due to continuous torture, oppression, discrimination, deprivation, and neglect. As a result, the religious-ethnic minority population rose to 29.07% in 1947, 19%-20% in 1971, 14.06% in 1974, and 9.1% in 2023,” he added.
Rana Dasgupta further said: “As in the colonial era, the existence of the minority population is gradually disappearing in the process of disenfranchisement followed in independent Bangladesh. The rate of tribal population of Chittagong Hill Tracts has dropped from 98.6% to approximately 48% at present.”
At the beginning of the session of the Jatiya Sangsad before 1975, he had requested the then prime minister to re-introduce reading of the holy scriptures in all communities of the country.
Advocate Dasgupta in his speech emphasized on the implementation of the promises made in the election manifesto announced by the government party before the 2018 elections. He sought the prime minister's direction to the authorities concerned for proper implementation of the Transfer of Property Act. He pointed out that formation of National Commission for Minorities and formulation of minority protection act is necessary in the existing reality of Bangladesh.
He also sought special instructions from the Prime Minister for the formation of a separate land commission for the tribal groups of the plains and for the proper implementation of special quotas and facilities in the education and employment of the backward and underdeveloped ethnic groups, Dalits and tea plantation workers.
Advocate Dasgupta brought the prime minister's attention to take the initiative to finalize the law by removing the lengthy process of remedies in the anti-discrimination law already made by the Ministry of Law and by clearly specifying the structure of the court and the punishment of the criminals.
He emphasized on the special initiative taken by the prime minister for the proper implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord and hill land commission.
Advocate Rana Dasgupta concluded his speech by re-requesting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to implement the electoral promises of the ruling party ahead of the upcoming elections.
The prime minister sought their cooperation by drawing the attention of the delegation to the overall development of the country in dealing with various crises including Covid-19 during her regime.
On behalf of Oikya Parishad, the prime minister was handed over the relevant documents including the proposed two draft bills of the Minority Protection Act and the National Minority Commission Act, and she accepted it.