Hindu minority members protest in Bangladesh, demand security during Durga Puja

The leaders belonging to the community addressed a protest rally in Dhaka under the banner of Bangladesh Combined Minority Alliance when they urged the government to ensure security for the upcoming Durga Puja festival.

Durga Puja is the major festival observed by minority Hindu community members in the country which witnessed a major political change in August.

Demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of vandalizing makeshifts puja mandaps and idols and threatening Hindus during their movements on roads, they placed their eight-charter of demands including a five-day public holiday during Durga Puja, reported NewAgeBd.

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, one of the spokespersons of Sammilito Sanatani Samaj-Bangladesh, told the news portal that they would continue protests until their eight demands were met.

Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reacted to the recent alleged vandalisation of Durga idols in Bangladesh and said it was not 'not good'.

"We expect that the government there will provide security to the people of the minority community and fulfil their needs. Regarding Durga Puja and Dussehra, as I mentioned, incidents of this kind are not right, they are not good," Jaiswal said during a press briefing.

Bangladesh witnessed a massive attack on Hindu community members by radicals following the fall of former PM Sheikh Hasina-led government in August.
Amid massive protests against her government, Sheikh Hasina escaped to India on August 5, leading to the toppling of her administration which was voted back to power with a massive mandate in January.