The meeting was held at the Leader of the Opposition’s official residence in the capital.
UNB
14 October, 2026, 07:55 pm
Last modified: 14 October, 2026, 08:04 pm
Hindu community leaders today (14 October) urged the government and opposition to work together to address "discrimination and deprivation" faced by religious minorities.
"We are repeatedly told that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony, but the reality does not match that claim," Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudev Dhar said, calling for effective measures to ensure equal rights and security for all communities.
Communal harmony must be reflected in practice rather than remaining confined to political rhetoric, they said at a press briefing following a meeting with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman.
The meeting was held at the Leader of the Opposition's official residence in the capital.
Basudev also said the Hindu community has virtually no representation in parliament and urged the government and opposition to find a way to ensure its representation.
He invited political leaders to visit temples during Durga Puja and attend the central celebrations at Dhakeshwari National Temple.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Subrata Chowdhury welcomed Jamaat's initiative, expressing hope that people from all religious communities and political affiliations would work together for the country's development.
He also urged Muslim leaders to promote communal harmony through sermons at mosques, saying such efforts could help make Bangladesh a genuine example of religious coexistence.
Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said Dr Shafiqur Rahman assured the Hindu leaders that the opposition would continue to listen to their concerns and fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect the rights and security of people of all faiths.
He said the Hindu leaders also praised Jamaat activists for their role in protecting temples and assisting devotees following the political upheaval on 5 August, 2024.
Asked about security arrangements for Durga Puja, Golam Parwar said Jamaat would continue supporting people of all faiths but declined to speculate about the possibility of sabotage.