Heartbreaking Reality: Progressive Muslims in Bangladesh Silenced or in Hiding – A Crisis Unfolds

Pushpita Gupta, a Labour Party Councillor for the London borough of Redbridge and President of the Secular Bangladesh Movement UK, is visiting India with a delegation of Bangladeshi Hindu diaspora from the US, Canada, and Europe. Her visit seeks to address the pressing issue of Hindu safety in Bangladesh, a cause she has championed for over two decades. With deep roots in Bangladesh, Gupta feels strongly about the ongoing violence against Hindus, a community her freedom-fighter father and grandfather also supported.

She highlights that the security situation in Bangladesh has deteriorated, particularly for Hindus, under the current regime. Previously, under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, there were avenues for dialogue and police protection; however, these have ceased. Progressive Muslims who have supported Hindus face threats and have been forced to flee or hide.

In the UK, Gupta separates her Labour Party role from her activism but has raised these issues with local MPs and the UK government, urging action. The UK Parliament has been active on this front, with queries directed at Catherine West, who recently visited Bangladesh.

Gupta calls on the Indian government to take a stand, emphasizing the broader implications of rising Islamist influence, which she believes threatens not just Bangladesh but India and global security. Her message to India focuses on safeguarding the vulnerable sections of the Bangladeshi Hindu community, especially women and children.

Addressing the situation in Bangladesh, Gupta criticizes the Bangladesh Army’s alleged bias against Hindus and expresses skepticism over Prof Yunus’s promise of elections by 2025-end or early 2026, branding his government illegal and urging him to apologize for the violence. She dismisses suggestions that Sheikh Hasina has destabilized the situation and underscores Bangladesh’s unsafety for both citizens and former leaders.

Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nobody-we-can-talk-to-now-in-bangladesh-progressive-muslims-have-left-or-are-hiding-9753933/
Category : India
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Publish Date: 2025-01-01 02:21:00