The European Parliament has urged the Bangladesh government to ensure security of Shia Muslims.
The parliament had a debate on freedom of expression in Bangladesh and passed a resolution on the matter yesterday. The non-binding resolution was adopted by 586 votes to 31, with 25 abstentions.
The resolution “urges the Bangladesh Government furthermore to offer sufficient protection and guarantees to minorities such as Shia Muslims, Ahmadiyya, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians, but also Biharis.”
It also “urges the Bangladesh Government and religious organisations and their leaders to embark on a process of reconciliation.”
The call came after recurring cases of ethnic and religiously-motivated violence, including the October 24 bomb attack at Hossaini Dalan where preparations were going on for a Shia procession for the next day.
The EP also condemned the increasing attacks by Islamist extremists on secularist writers, bloggers, religious minorities and foreign aid workers in Bangladesh.
It has also expressed its concern at the growing restrictions on freedom of expression which have accompanied the rise of religious fundamentalism, intolerance and extremist violence in the country, said a European Parliament press release.
The parliament also voiced concerns about the escalating cases of violence against women, urging the government, religious bodies and their leaders to embark on a process of reconciliation and work towards bringing to justice the perpetrators.
The parliament called on the Bangladesh authorities to restore the full independence of media, to drop all charges against publishers and journalists who have published content critical of the government.