Over 100 people gather in front of the Bangladesh Embassy
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 100 people gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia to express their protest against the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and Malaysia’s failure to condemn the attacks.
According to news portal Malaysiakini, they comprised 35 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and began their demonstration around 10:45 AM, accompanied by police supervision.
Some of the protesters were seen displaying banners with phrases such as “respect humanity,” “all lives matter,” and “Hindu lives matter.”
Also present were the President of the Human Rights Federation (GHRF) S. Shashi Kumar and the Chairman of the Urimai Party in Selangor, K. Kunasegaran.
Attacks against Hindus were reported to have occurred after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown.
Hindu residents are seen as supporters of Hasina’s party, the Awami League.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed that Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, assured him that the rights of all Bangladeshi citizens, including minority groups, would be protected.
The day before, former DAP Member of Parliament Charles Santiago urged Anwar to speak out against the violence faced by Hindus in the country.
Meanwhile, Shashi stated that they would not be satisfied as long as the Malaysian government failed to condemn the atrocities against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
He emphasized that the Prime Minister should be fair, similar to the solidarity shown following the atrocities faced by Palestinians.
“The Prime Minister has not made any statement condemning the attacks. Regardless of whose religion it is—Buddhist, Hindu, or anyone else—the acts of killing, raping, and burning must be condemned,” he said.
“Malaysia is also a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), but until now the Prime Minister has not condemned the violence faced by the Palestinians by Zionists.”
He stated that both Malaysia and Bangladesh are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and have been cooperating since 1971.
“So why doesn’t Anwar hold discussions in the OIC as he did for Palestine?
“Considering he has influence, what is Malaysia’s stance?
“What do we show to minority groups as a multiracial country?” he questioned when asked to comment on the objectives of the gathering.
Earlier, three NGO representatives were given permission to submit a memorandum to the representative of the Bangladesh High Commissioner, Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan.
The police later requested them to disperse peacefully around 11:45 AM.