'India should change its stand': Hindus form party in Bangladesh, prepare to contest polls; hope to win 40-45 seats

NAGPUR: Amidst the brutal persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh in run-up to February polls, a party registered in April hopes to fight its maiden elections, seeking Hindu and other minority votes. The Bangladesh Minority Janta Party (BMJP) is preparing to contest 91 of 300 seats of the Jatiya Parishad (national parliament), hoping to win 40 to 45 seats, said the outfit's president Sukriti Kumar Mandal.

Talking to TOI on phone from Dhaka, Mandal, a seasoned politician, said, "We have zeroed in on constituencies where the minority, especially Hindu vote-bank, ranges from 20% to 60%."

Scrambling to file nominations before the Monday deadline, Mandal feels Hindus need to feel safe to come out and vote. A tie-up with any mainstream party — be it Tarique Rahman's BNP or Jamaat-e-Islami — can help.

"With an alliance with these parties, minorities can come out of their houses without fearing retaliation. Awami League is off the radar, and BMJP is the only voice of persecuted Hindus," he told TOI.



Mandal said the party candidates would be finalised in a day or two. "By Saturday, all nominations would be filed," he said. He said India should change its stand on Bangladesh and only back the cause of Hindus, instead of supporting Awami League. "If India shifts from its pro-Awami League stand, mainstream Bangladesh parties will sit up and take note. India must know that BMJP is the sole voice of minorities," he said.

A change in stand could also lead to a change in Bangladeshi mindset towards India, he said, adding the Awami League only used India for gaining power.

The five-point agenda shared with TOI includes working towards a secular Bangladesh, establishing a federal system by carving out five provinces, and establishing fundamental and constitutional rights of each state. BMJP also proposes changes in textbooks with a secular and scientific approach, apart from ensuring fair rights for minorities.

The party's vision document says communalism has not subsided, though an independent Bangladesh was established with the objective of building a social system free of discrimination. "The Enemy Property Act, created during Pakistan rule, is now being used to target Hindus. Lakhs of acres of Hindu land have been lost, and countless families have been ruined after property grabbing, personal vendetta, forced conversion and arson at places of worship, which are daily incidents," said Mandal.

He also said 2.5 crore Hindus in Bangladesh are there to stay in the country. Remaining in the mainstream can be the solution. "There is a sizable Hindu population in a cross-section of constituencies. Earlier, they were Awami League supporters. To come out and vote for us, either of the mainstream parties must declare a tie-up," he says.

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