Agartala, November 28, 2024: Opposition Leader Jitendra Chaudhury has voiced strong condemnation of the current situation in Bangladesh, where he claims minorities are being targeted under a rising tide of dictatorship. Speaking on Thursday, Chaudhury called for all democratic and secular forces to unite and speak out against the oppression.
“Dictatorship leads to the persecution of minorities, and that is precisely what we are witnessing in Bangladesh today,” Chaudhury stated. He highlighted the growing discontent among the Bangladeshi populace against the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, which has been in power for an extended period. “There has been accumulated anger among the people against the current government, and this has led to the present situation,” he added.
Chaudhury accused the current Bangladeshi government of attempting to forge friendly relations with Pakistan, a move he believes is detrimental to the country’s democratic fabric. “The current government wants to build friendly relations with Pakistan, which is alarming,” he remarked.
He also pointed out the destruction of thousands of statues of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, as a sign of the escalating fundamentalism. “Thousands of statues of Bangabandhu have been demolished. Minorities are constantly being attacked. When fundamentalism takes root in a country’s governance, minorities inevitably suffer,” Chaudhury asserted.
The opposition leader’s comments come amid reports of increasing violence and persecution of minorities in Bangladesh. Chaudhury’s call for unity among democratic and secular forces underscores the urgent need for collective action to address the crisis. “All democratic secular forces must unite and speak out against this oppression,” he urged.
Chaudhury’s statements reflect the broader concerns about the erosion of democratic values and the rise of authoritarianism in the region. His call to action aims to galvanize support for the protection of minority rights and the restoration of democratic principles in Bangladesh.
