British Conservative lawmaker Bob Blackman called upon the UK government to take action against the ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, other minorities and ensure fair and inclusive elections in the country on February 12.
Since ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, over 2,000 incidents of violence against Hindus have been reported throughout the country. According to India Today, at least 11 Bangladeshi Hindus have been killed in the span of the last 35 days.
‘Hindu men are being murdered’
Addressing these concerns on X, Blackman wrote, “Hindu men are being murdered on the streets; their houses are being burnt; the temples are being burnt; and other religious minorities are suffering similar fates.”
Blackman also addressed the British Parliament, where he remarked that while general elections in Bangladesh are slated to be held, Hasina’s Awami League continues to remain barred from contesting the polls. He also spoke against the purported rise of Islamist forces.
Blackman was among four UK MPs who expressed serious concerns recently about the ban on Awami league and other widely supported parties. The joint statement was also signed by Jim Shannon, Jas Athwal and Chris Law.
Earlier this month, Blackman also reasserted his support for India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the entire region should be with India. Decrying Pakistan’s occupation, he also recalled that his call for the abrogation of Article 370, done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in 2019, dates back more than three decades.
India’s stance on Bangladesh violence
India has urged the Muhammed Yunus government to deal with these incidents “swiftly and firmly”.
“We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities as well as their homes and businesses by extremists in Bangladesh. Such communal incidents need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a recent press briefing.