Guwahati: Amid the turmoil in Bangladesh, the Secretary General of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance, Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, said there have been sporadic incidents from place to place, but Hindus as a whole are safe in Bangladesh.
When ETV Bharat contracted, the Hindu leader in a video message said that after Sheikh Hasina's resignation, the Hindu community in Bangladesh thought that they would be attacked, looted and set on fire. However, the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have instructed all their leaders and workers to ensure that there is no attack or loot in the houses of Hindus and that the temples should be guarded. Pramanik said security arrangements have been made for Hindus in temples and residential areas.
In his message, Pramanik said that the houses of some Hindu leaders of the Awami League, who were on various occasions, had been attacked and set on fire. The same has happened with Muslim leaders of the Awami League. Some opportunity seekers attacked local temples, but no major incident happened. Incidents of violence have taken place in some areas, but have not been widespread on a large scale. Overall, the Hindu society of Bangladesh is safe. Hindus have not been attacked as anticipated by many. It is expected that Hindus will remain safe in Bangladesh.
According to Pramanik, there has been a lot of propaganda in India that attacks may take place on Hindus in Bangladesh. Some media outlets in India have been spreading rumours about the issue. Such incidents have not happened in Bangladesh. He mentioned that there have been incidents where attacks on Hindus were portrayed differently. He further pointed out that, in some cases, individuals seeking opportunities targeted and looted Hindus. Pramanik also noted that Muslims have been victims of similar attacks.
The Hindu leader mentioned that while the official population of Hindus in Bangladesh is reported as 7.95 per cent, the actual percentage is likely higher. In 2015, the Hindu population was 10.7 per cent. Although religious conversions contribute to this decline, the primary factor is the emigration of Hindus from the country.
According to Pramanik, around 4.5 crore Hindus from Bangladesh entered India after 1971. The process of entry of Hindu Bangladeshis into India continues even in the present times. The Hindu population in Bangladesh has declined by 2.8 per cent in the last six years. Apart from accepting conversions, many Hindu Bangladeshis have taken shelter in rural areas of West Bengal. While 90 per cent of the people in the Andamans are Bangladeshis.
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