HINDUS IN BANGLADESH FAST DWINDLING: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

(Originally published in Business Stamdard, March 11, 2018)

http://www.suryaa.com/35730-hindus-in-bangladesh-fast-dwindling-human-rights-activist.html

by Arun Lakshma

Kozhikode (Kerala) March 11 (IANS) The Hindus of Bangladesh were dwindling with their strength decreasing from one-third in 1947 to one-fifteenth in 2016, said a human rights activist and professor.

Richard Benkin, the US-based activist who is also a frequent traveller to Bangladesh, told IANS during a visit here that he was working against the ethnic cleansing of Hindus in the South Asian nation.

"There has been a concerted attempt in that country to see that the Hindu's there are eradicated. The successive Bangladeshi governments under Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia have been unable to take actions against those who are out to eliminate the Hindus," said Benkin.

Of the present 150 million Bangladeshi population, 90 per cent are Muslims with the Hindu population down at around 9.5 per cent, he said.

Benkin was here to deliver a lecture organised by the Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram.

He also pointed out that in Bangladesh, there were missing cases of Hindu women and children.

The whole idea was to destroy women so that they do not give birth to Hindu and the children were being targeted to finish of the next generation of Hindus, he said.

Benkin opined that the Hindus of Bangladesh should think of forming their own sledge defence forces under the legal methods of that country to fight against this persecution.

He also pointed out that even though there are several Hindu organisations, except for Bangladesh Minority Watch, the other organisations were not active on the ground.

Benkin said he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the atrocities faced by the Hindus there.