Rohingya crisis: Buddhists in Bangladesh will not use sky lanterns during Probarona Purnima

Buddhists in Bangladesh will not use sky lanterns during the celebrations of Probarona Purnima this year as a token of protest against the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

Instead, the funds allocated for the festival will be donated to the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, leaders of Bangladesh Sammilito Boudhho Samaj said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Monday.

“The Buddhist community will not release phanush (balloons) to show solidarity with the larger population in protesting the persecution of Rohingyas,” said Chief Coordinator Ashoke Barua.

Probarona Purnima, the second largest festival of Buddhists in Bangladesh, is slated to be observed on Oct 5.

The way Rohingyas are being subjected to torture in Buddhist-majority Myanmar is completely against the teachings of Gautama Buddha, said Suddhananda Mahathero, convener of Bangladesh Sammilito Boudhho Samaj.

“We are consulting the leaders of World Fellowship of Buddhists to bring solutions to the crisis. We, along with the peace-loving people of Bangladesh, call on the Myanmar government to stop the genocide,” he said.

If permitted by the Bangladesh government and Myanmar Embassy, a group of delegates from the platform will visit Myanmar and try to pursue their government over the matter, he added.

Police have strengthened security at the Buddhist temples in and around Dhaka after receiving complaints over threats to the members of the religious minority in Bangladesh.

In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, an organisation of Buddhists alleged in a rally in Dhaka on Sept 8 that a 'vested quarter' was threatening the Buddhists over the Rohingya issue.

A day later, police detained three people at Benapole in Jessore for allegedly forcing a Buddhist monk to speak against Myanmar authorities over the Rohingya issue, recording his statement and circulating the video on social media.

Bangladesh Sammilito Boudhho Samaj handed a memorandum to officials of the Myanmar Embassy in Dhaka on Sept 10.