Just two weeks before the 13th National Parliamentary Election, concerns persist among religious and ethnic minority communities, potentially impacting their voting participation, according to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council. The council highlighted worries about safety, livelihoods, property, and dignity that remain unresolved despite the minorities’ willingness to engage in the electoral process.
During a press briefing at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, the council emphasized that if minority voters feel discouraged from casting their ballots, the blame should not rest with them. Acting general secretary Manindra Kumar Nath, reading a prepared statement, criticized the government, administration, Election Commission, and political parties for failing to establish a secure and confidence-building atmosphere for minority voters.
The council reported a continuation of communal violence similar to last year’s trend, citing at least 42 incidents, including 11 fatalities, recorded nationwide between January 1 and January 27 this year. The upcoming February 12 election is described by the council as occurring within a climate of fear, heightened by ongoing mob violence, resulting in anxiety among minority communities, indigenous groups, especially women and youth, and disrupting normal operations for minority business owners. Families are reportedly being compelled to vacate their residences due to security concerns.
The organization outlined seven demands, such as ensuring a fair environment for minority candidates and voters, prohibiting the use of religion and communal sentiments in election campaigns, deploying law enforcement agencies and potentially the army for security, designating minority-populated regions as high-risk areas for increased surveillance, banning election campaigning in religious sites, and treating hate speech, incitement, and the dissemination of communal rumors as criminal acts under special legislation.
The council urged the Election Commission and relevant authorities to take prompt and resolute actions to instill confidence among minority voters before the elections.
