Khaleda orders probe into reports of persecution

By Our Special Correspondent

DHAKA, OCT. 15. Alarmed by the unabated pre and post-poll violence, particularly on minorities, the new Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, has asked her administration to take action against those harassing members of the minority community.

The former Prime Minister and Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina, has alleged ``a massive and planned terror campaign'' against the minorities by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-E-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote combine. ``It is now clear they are doing it as part of their design to drive out the rest of the minorities from Bangladesh and crush the progressive politics once and for all,'' she alleged.

The Daily Independent said on Sunday that alarmed by the reports in the media, the new Government had asked the district administrations to investigate reports of alleged harassment and attacks on members of the Hindu community in various parts of the country. The country's Hindu leaders, who met the President, Mr. Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina on Saturday last termed the attack on Hindus across the country as ``calculated'' and sought security from the Government. The Hindu-Boudha-Christian Oikya Parishad, the apex body of the nation's minority communities, also expressed concern over the attacks.

A regional anti-communal organisation alleged that around seven million minority voters were barred from exercising their right of franchise in the October 1 general election. Progressive groups, including women's organisations, have started a campaign in many parts of the country demanding that the Government stop the persecution of minorities. In a statement, BNP's secretary- general and Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Abdul Mannan Bhuyan, said Bangladesh had always been an example of communal harmony and no one would be allowed to destabilise peace and harmony.

Alleging that ``some quarters'' were trying to derive benefit out of the situation, Mr. Bhuyan, assured the Hindu community of ``all cooperation and protection'' for celebrating the forthcoming Durga puja. But the minority leaders were not satisfied with the assurance as national dailies, including those which are known to be sympathisers of the ruling coalition, identified the attackers, rapists and arsonists as hoodlums belonging to the BNP and Jamaat-E-Islami.

While several major dailies reported that some minority members had already fled for bordering Indian States, the popular daily Prothom Alo reported that the Bangladesh Rifles had arrested 99 minority members on Saturday as they were trying to cross the border near Satkhira adjoining West Bengal.

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Section  : International
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