Planned propaganda to destabilize Bangladesh.
Indian media outlet RT India last Monday aired a video titled ‘Attacks on temples and vandalism of idols in Bangladesh’, which was viewed by thousands of people. However, the video was no longer available on the media outlet’s X handle (former Twitter) yesterday evening.
Fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner said that the video is not from Bangladesh, but from a Kali temple in Burdwan, West Bengal, India. However, the video of religious rituals in the Burdwan temple was aired as vandalism of a temple in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, some extremist Indians attacked the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, aggressively using rumors and propaganda. Anti-Bangladesh rallies and protests are taking place almost daily in India. In this way, they are carrying out planned propaganda to destabilize Bangladesh.
Those concerned say that not only the Indian media, but also many extremist activists and fugitive convicts are spreading false information about attacks and torture on minorities in Bangladesh. They are trying to give a religious color to political and personal disputes. A group is also promoting any fight or clash over personal differences as an attack on minorities.
However, minorities living in Bangladesh have protested against the Indian media and extremist activists. After the attack on the Bangladeshi embassy in Agartala, students of Jagannath Hall (Minority Students’ Hall) took part in a protest march at Dhaka University on Monday night in protest. They said, “The country comes first. No conspiracy will be allowed to be implemented against the country.” Many true facts are being hidden due to false propaganda about minorities. In fact, these propagandists are causing great harm to minorities.
Manindra Kumar Nath, Joint General Secretary of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, told our time that there have been many attacks from August 5 to 8. After that, news of attacks on temples has been coming to the media from time to time. Instead of denying the attacks, exemplary punishment should be given to the criminals. We demand from the government that, in addition to prosecuting the attacks and vandalism, ensure the participation of minorities in the reform process.
Regarding false information and propaganda, Manindra Kumar Nath said, “We all want to live together. We do not want exaggerated and false information to be presented. Those who provide false information should be punished. Whether it is from a neighboring country or from within the country.
According to the human rights organization Ain O Salish Kendra, in the first seven months of this year until July, 38 people were injured in attacks on 28 houses, two businesses, and six temples by religious minorities. However, in August, the month of the government’s change of heart, attacks on houses and temples increased several times. In one month, 196 houses, 97 businesses, and 7 temples were attacked. During this time, 22 people were injured. However, the number of attacks on houses decreased to two in September-October. Two temples were attacked. However, no businesses were attacked or casualties occurred.
Those concerned say that after Sheikh Hasina left for India, many people were attacked and tortured for political reasons and were beneficiaries of the Awami League government. In most cases, there have been no incidents of attacks and torture for religious reasons. However, religion is brought to the fore in these cases to gain political advantage.
A survey by Voice of America found that most people in Bangladesh believe that the interim government is providing more security to the country’s religious and ethnic minority communities than the previous Awami League government. 66.1 percent of religious minorities believe that the interim government is doing better in terms of security than the Awami League government.
In a recent address to the nation, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus said that the main reason for the few incidents of violence that have occurred was political. But there has been an attempt to destabilize Bangladesh by giving these incidents a religious cover.
At the 17th session of the two-day UN Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva, Switzerland, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Tarek Md. Ariful Islam, said last Thursday that the violence that has occurred in Bangladesh since August 5 was not religious; rather, political and personal issues were at work. Most of the affected people are involved in party politics. There have been no systematic attacks on the country’s minorities.
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