Staff Reporter:
Leaders of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and the Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at his office at the Secretariat on Thursday morning.
The meeting was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Ruman, who said the leaders discussed various issues affecting the Hindu community with the prime minister.
Among those present at the meeting were LGRD Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and party Chairman’s Advisory Council member Bijon Kanti Sarkar.
Representing the Hindu community were Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudev Dhar and General Secretary Santosh Sharma, as well as Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee President Jayanta Kumar Deb and General Secretary Tapas Chandra Pal. Other leaders including Advocate Subrata Chowdhury and Tapan Majumdar were also present.
Following the meeting, Jayanta Kumar Deb told reporters that they had discussed various challenges faced by the Hindu community and that the prime minister had listened attentively and assured them that the issues would be addressed gradually.
He also said they informed the Prime Minister about incidents of alleged harassment and deprivation faced by members of the community after 5 August 2024, including claims of lack of justice and job dismissals in some cases.
The leaders further raised issues such as the formation of a minority commission, enactment of a minority protection law, establishment of a Hindu foundation, and matters related to the Debottar (religious trust) property law.
Santosh Sharma, general secretary of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, said they had presented their concerns to the Prime Minister, who assured them that the government would address the issues in phases.
