Bangladesh Minorities Face Rising Attacks; Demand Protection Law, National Commission

• Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council demands a Minority Protection Law, National Minority Commission, and Ministry for Minorities amid escalating attacks.
• Minorities are targeted, threatened, and abused, often with political tags, for their voting choices, leading to a pervasive climate of insecurity.
• A roundtable in Dhaka called for political parties to commit to minority protection, proportional representation, and implementation of existing laws like the Vested Property Return Act.
• Economist Debapriya Bhattacharya noted declining voter interest due to insecurity, while Barrister Sara Hossain highlighted human rights violations and persecution.
• Recent incidents include the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das over blasphemy allegations and Amrit Mandal for extortion, with 2,900 violence incidents reported during the interim government.

Why It Matters: Amid rising violence, Bangladesh minorities urgently demand legal protection and a dedicated commission.