The Fundamentalist Talibans Government of Afghanistan was criticized for oppressing minority Hindus. The Talibans had released a decree for separate home and dress code for Non Muslim (Hindus) and imposed the Shariat or face prosecution. We know the faith of that government at the hands of the Americans and its western allies fight against terrorism.

Now attention is drawn to Muslim Majority of Bangladesh. We must note and condemned similar and even worst atrocities against minorities of Bangladesh. The country's 20% minorities (at least 4 million) have become victims of torture directly or indirectly. The majority of them are Hindus and the rest are Christians and Buddhists.
Among the persecuted, at least one fourth of them are either homeless or still in the fear of being attacked.

On December 24, 2001 there were reports of more than one hundred women including minors becoming victims of rape. Added to the tragedy was police station refusal to file a suit. Although the police made a written complaint in one or two cases, the actual culprits' names and addresses were not written. Out of all the litigations made, not even one percent of them are solved nor any action taken against the criminals in any of these cases; instead the complainants are harassed.

In all the 64 districts of the country, the minorities have become the victim of torture. Comparatively the most affected areas are Borisal, Bagerhat, Sathkheera, Chattagram, Sirajgunj, Pabna, Rajsahee, Patuakhali, Nator, Bhola, Najirpur, Kishoregunj and Jhinaidaha. The limit of barbarous torture went to such an extent that in Fani along with other areas the young girls were raped in front of their old parents. Wife was raped in front of husband. There were instances where homes were burnt and even 8-year-old Manata and her mother did not escape the rapists.

These incidents of human rights violations were done in a planned manner so that the minorities are obstructed from casting their vote in the 8th Parliament election and now this torture is in progress only to drive out the minorities from the country.

The Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP)--an India based social organization--has also demanded that without hesitation the torture against the minorities of Bangladesh must be stopped. Processions and Fasting took place in New York in protest against torturing of the minorities in Bangladesh.

Congressman Joseph Crowley met the ambassador of Bangladesh, Tarik Karim in Washington and made a statement of protest on the ongoing persecution of the minorities in Bangladesh. He also promised to travel to Bangladesh to protest against all these things.

The torture against the minorities of Bangladesh must stop immediately; this we unreservedly demand and call on all civil citizens to express their outrage against this transgression of human rights.

For more information please visit the Human Rights Congress For Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) website www.hrcbm.org/

S. Rambhajan
Immediate Past President
University of Guyana Hindu Society