Hundreds march in Agartala to demand protection for Bangladesh's persecuted minorities

Agartala, Sept 29:In a powerful display of solidarity with the persecuted minorities of Bangladesh, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Agartala, on Saturday.

The rally, organised by the newly-formed Forum for Protection of Minorities in Bangladesh (FPMB), attracted people from all walks of life, including intellectuals, authors, journalists, and civil society organisations.

The FPMB has also drafted two memoranda, which are set to be submitted to India's Prime Minister and the Chief Adviser to the Bangladesh administration, Muhammad Yunus. The forum is urging direct intervention from the Indian government to protect minority groups in Bangladesh.

The protest was called against the rising violence against Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian minorities in Bangladesh and demand stronger protection for them. Demonstrators carried banners and placards as they marched through the city, ultimately gathering outside Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan.

Speakers at the rally highlighted the alarming increase in incidents of arson, forced conversions, targeted attacks, and killings, particularly after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted following a coup.

Jayanta Bhattacharya, President of the Agartala Press Club, expressed grave concern over the unfolding situation.

"We are deeply troubled by the atrocities occurring just across our border. Minority communities, especially Hindus, are being targeted with their businesses destroyed, homes set ablaze, and people forcibly converted. This injustice must be stopped," Bhattacharya said.

Protesters also accused the majority population in Bangladesh of fuelling anti-Hindu and anti-India campaigns, further marginalising the country’s minority communities.

Senior journalist Swapan Kumar Bhattacharya, a recipient of the Friends of Liberation War honour, also voiced his sorrow. He noted that the current state of Bangladesh contrasts sharply with the ideals of the country’s Liberation War and the sacrifices made by Tripura, Bangladesh, and Indian Army personnel.

"It's painful and unfortunate to see those who supported Pakistan now in positions of power," he remarked.

Tripura, which shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, has deep historical and cultural ties to the neighbouring country. Many Bengali families in the state trace their roots back to Bangladesh, with portions of the region once ruled by the kings of Tripura before the partition.