The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has expressed strong condemnation and protest against the absence of any changes regarding religious discrimination in the budget of the Ministry of Religion.
This criticism arises from the recent budget presentation by the finance minister in the National Parliament on June 1.
The council claims that the allocation of the budget to religious minorities is clear evidence of disregard, neglect, and discrimination toward them, said a press release.
General Secretary of the organization Adv Rana Dasgupta said that the total allocation for the Ministry of Religion's operational expenditure and development sector is Tk176.15 crore. Of this, only 6.4% is allocated to religious minorities in the development sector, which is not at all commensurate with the proportional rate of the population.
He made the remarks at a press conference organized at the National Press Club at 11am on Tuesday.
Islamic Foundation formed for the development and welfare of the religious majority communities runs from the annual budget allocation, while the Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian religious welfare trusts run on deposit interest money.
The speaker then talked about how Hindu Religious Welfare Trust receives Tk5 crore to Tk5.50 crore as interest from the money deposited in the bank from the total fixed deposit of Tk100 crore.
He added that about Tk1.5 crore per year is spent on office expenses and the remaining Tk4 crore for donations. The Hindu Religious Welfare Trust currently has a workforce of nine people, out of which two are from the Muslim community, General Secretary Adv Rana Dasgupta said.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has made some demands regarding the situation, including -- Converting Hindu, Buddhist and Christian religious welfare trusts into foundations with annual allocations from the national revenue budget, forming a ministry and conducting accurate censuses of religious minorities.
