Former Awami League minister Suranjit Sengupta has criticised the government for failing to prevent attacks on Hindus across Bangladesh after the Jan 5 parliamentary elections.
Published : 14 Jan 2014, 06:55 PM
“Nine days have passed since the elections, but the situation of the minorities (Hindus) has not changed, although the political situation in the country has become almost stable after a new government took office,” he observed at a discussion on Tuesday in Dhaka.
Sengupta, a former Railways Minister who was later made a Minister without Portfolio in the previous government, was denied a ministerial berth in the new Cabinet led by Sheikh Hasina that was sworn in last Sunday.
“The State has failed to protect them (the Hindus) because of its inaction,” he said.
Hindus were attacked across the country after the polls. The victims claim they had been targeted for voting in the election boycotted by the BNP and its allies.
Police and the government have blamed the BNP and its ally, the Jamaat-e-Islami, for the violence.
“Such incidents are unexpected when a secular government is in office. No minister has visited the victims,” Sengupta said.
Referred to the Ganajagaran Mancha’s road march to Jessore’s Abhaynagar, he said: “They can go there but, alas, we (the politicians) can’t!
“The Election Commission, along with the State and the administration, will have to take responsibility for the situation,” he maintained.