Already under fire from international community for its alleged lack of willpower to crush rising radicalisation in society that has reportedly marginalised minorities in that country, Bangladesh government has come under sharp criticism from an influential human rights body for highlighting Rohingya issue internationally just to ‘attract foreign investment.’
European unit of Hindu Bouddho Christian Oikyo Parishad (Hindu Buddhist and Christian Union Council, which has representatives in 27 countries of the continent, has expressed its anguish at the fact that Hasina government has turned a blind eye to the plight of Hindus whose population is dwindling day by day.
The president of the organisation, Amarendra Roy, questioned the motive of the Bangladesh government regarding protection of minority rights which, he said, is a grave issue about which the world community must take note.
“It seems honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is more concerned about the welfare of Rohingyas, who are from Myanmar, while she is undermining the interest of Hindus, who are natives of Bangladesh. She has calculatedly-calibrated a move to mint money from European countries through funds by portraying the issue of people of Myanmarese origin. At the same time, she is oblivious of the plight of the community which fought Pakistani oppressors during Mukti Juddho (Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971) and helped the country attain Independence,” Roy said.
He was referring to the report of allocation of a whopping amount of fund which Bangladesh government has attracted for Rohingya welfare.
A major portion of the allocated total US$600 million fund will be allocated for the Bangladesh Joint Response Plan.
Roy said Rohingya plight became Hasina’s selling point to the international community which took sympathetic consideration and pledged to support to raise living standards of refugees in camps settled in Cox’s Bazar.
“Since 1947, nine million Hindus disappeared from Bangladesh. No government in Bangladesh has taken note of one of the biggest humanitarian issues of the world. Even now, the same community is subject to acute persecution. Hindus are no longer cash cows for Hasina though mukti joddhas (freedom fighters) from the community gave their blood for the country responding to the call,” Roy said.