Left parties hold rallies in Agartala demanding protection for minorities in B’desh

Agartala : Rallies and protests against the atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh continued in the northeastern states with the CPI-M-led Left parties on Saturday organised a massive rally in Tripura's capital Agartala.

Braving rains, thousands of men and women belonging to different communities and religions participated in the protest rally and chanted slogans demanding the protection of minorities irrespective of religion in Bangladesh.

Former Tripura Chief Minister and CPI-Politburo member Manik Sarkar while addressing the gathering, held after the rally, said that the majority of people in Bangladesh have the responsibility to guard the minorities from any kind of attacks and atrocities.

“The caretaker government in Bangladesh should not remain silent. People belonging to the majority community must pressure the government to protect the lives and properties of the minorities in Bangladesh,” said Sarkar, who was the Chief Minister of Tripura for 20 years (1998-2018).

The senior CPI-M leader said that the Left parties in India also urged the Bangladesh caretaker government to defend the minorities and take action against those who are creating problems and instigating violence.

“We have nothing to say against the functioning of the present caretaker government but we also cannot remain silent after the attacks on the minorities, who also loved Bangladesh. A majority of Bangladesh nationals are against the attacks on minorities. As a neighbour, we want the situation in Bangladesh to remain peaceful and normal. The prosperity of Bangladesh would help people of all communities and religions of that country,” the veteran Left leader said.

Earlier Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the ruling BJP and various other organisations belonging to Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslims organised several separate rallies in different parts of Tripura and other northeastern states demanding protection of minorities and protesting attacks on them in Bangladesh.

A group of Chakma leaders earlier urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a memorandum demanding the downgrading of diplomatic relations with Bangladesh until the lives and properties of the hill tribes and religious minorities are protected.

The Chakma leaders in their memorandum claimed that since September 19, more than nine innocent tribals were shot dead while dozens were injured at Khagrachari in “organised attacks” by the Bangladesh Army and the illegal settlers.

Besides, over 100 houses and shops have been burnt at Dighinala Sadar in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

The Buddhist Chakmas mainly live in the CHT of southeast Bangladesh, the Chin and Arakan provinces of Myanmar and several states of India’s northeastern region.