UK MP Blackman says violence in Bangladesh ‘attempt at ethnic cleansing of Hindus’

British Tory MP Bob Blackman described the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh as “an attempt at ethnic cleansing” during a debate in the House of Commons.

Blackman said, “Hindus are suffering with their houses being burned, their businesses ransacked. Two further priests were arrested over the weekend, and 63 monks were denied access to the country. This is an attempt at the ethnic cleansing of Hindus from Bangladesh. Will the minister come out and outright condemn this violence?”

Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West, representing the Govt, said this had all been top of her agenda when she met Bangladesh Interim Govt Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh in November. She said the UK supported the Interim Govt and was ready to offer advice on law and order.

Scores of MPs stood up and said their constituents were concerned about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh, with some having family there. They called on the UK Govt to take every diplomatic step to protect Hindus and expressed concern the perpetrators of the violence were not being held to account. One MP asked the minister to raise it at the UN. The debate followed an urgent question by Labour MP Barry Gardiner on the situation. Gardiner said there had been more than 2,000 incidents of violence since August, mostly targeted against Hindus, and the protections for minority religions guaranteed under Bangladesh’s Constitution “appeared to not be being enforced”. (TOI)

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