Ensure minority safety before and after elections: Hindu Mahajote chief
He stressed that equal rights must be ensured for all citizens – Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other minority groups
Advocate Dinabandhu Roy, president of the Hindu Mahajote (Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance), has urged authorities to ensure the security of minority communities before, during and after elections, warning that fear and intimidation continue to prevent minority voters from exercising their constitutional right to vote.
Speaking at a seminar on electoral perspectives and the participation of religious and ethnic minorities in the upcoming national polls, held at CIRADAP's ADS Reddy Conference Hall today (24 January), Dinabandhu Roy said minority voters often face threats, bomb scares and political pressure during elections.
"As a result, many are unable to cast their votes freely," he said, alleging that in some cases people from minority communities are harassed or deprived of voting rights through student groups or with the involvement of local administrations.
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"Without adequate security, minorities simply lack the confidence to go to polling centres," he added.
He stressed that equal rights must be ensured for all citizens – Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other minority groups.
At the seminar, Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) Executive Member Sarba Mitra Chakma said the constitution does not clearly recognise several ethnic communities, including the Chakma, Marma and Tripura, describing this as a form of long-standing structural discrimination. She criticised the use of the term "tribe" to collectively describe diverse ethnic groups, arguing that it has reinforced inequality rather than ensured recognition.
Representatives of various religious and ethnic communities attended the seminar.
