North India Statesman
[ad_1]
Dhaka, August 13 (HS). Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus said on Tuesday that the government will punish those who attacked the minority Hindu community. The Chief Advisor gave this assurance while meeting the affected Hindu community during his visit to the ancient Dhakeshwari temple. He urged the Hindus to remain patient and assured them that they would be protected.
The economist (84 years old) took over as the chief adviser of the interim government on August 8 amid the ongoing violence and vandalism. He visited the Dhakeshwari temple, one of the major Shakti Peethas in Dhaka, and said that the rights of every person should be ensured. Yunus blamed “institutional collapse” for the plight of the country.
His visit comes at a time when the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance (BNHGA) said the minority community has faced attacks and threats at 278 places in 48 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 and termed it an “attack on Hinduism”.
“Rights are equal for everyone. We are all the same people and have the same rights. Don't discriminate between us. Please help us. Be patient and assess later – what we could do and what we couldn't. If we fail, criticise us,” Yunus said.
Yunus said, “In our democratic aspirations, we should be seen as humans and not Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists. Our rights should be ensured. The root of all problems lies in the decay of institutional arrangements. That is why such issues arise. There is a need to fix the institutional arrangements.”
At that time, Professor Yunus was accompanied by Legal Advisor Asif Najrul and Religious Affairs Advisor AFM Khalid Hussain.
