GSL Media Desk: Bob Blackman, a Conservative Member of Parliament in the UK, has claimed that the British government pressured Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s administration to ensure the uninterrupted celebration of Durga Puja for the Hindu community in Bangladesh. He asserted that prior to the festival, Sarah Cooke, the British High Commissioner to Dhaka, had raised the issue of minority Hindu safety with the Prime Minister. Furthermore, he noted that the UK government is pressing for an impartial investigation into the recent acts of violence in Bangladesh, demanding that the perpetrators be held accountable.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Bob Blackman stated, “The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh raised the violence against the Hindu community there with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on the 4th of October, and pressed him on the need for communities to feel safe through Durga Puja. The Foreign Office told me so this month, in answer to a written question I had tabled about the killings and the mob attacks.”
Citing the Foreign Office, he further added, “The department also says it is pressing the Bangladeshi government to investigate these incidents impartially and to hold those responsible to account.”
In his post, Blackman also brought up the ‘Global Sanatan Leaders Association’. This international organization primarily works to protect the rights of the Sanatan (Hindu) community worldwide, ensure their safety, and build global public opinion against any human rights violations. Regarding this, Blackman mentioned, “Earlier this month I met the Global Sanatan Leaders Association and Bengali human rights campaigners in Parliament about this, and raised it in the Commons at Business Questions on the 15th. What we want to see now is arrests and convictions.
Blackman noted that on October 4, High Commissioner Sarah Cooke met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. During that meeting, the issue of violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh was brought up. She also discussed with the Prime Minister the need to ensure that people from all religious backgrounds felt safe during the Durga Puja festival.
Following the British MP’s post, discussions have emerged regarding the Bangladesh government’s security measures for Durga Puja and the underlying UK diplomatic efforts. However, Blackman did not mention whether the Bangladesh government or the Prime Minister’s Office had issued any official statement regarding this alleged British pressure.
It has been widely acknowledged in various circles that Durga Puja was celebrated relatively peacefully in Bangladesh this year. The beefed-up security measures before and during the festival, multiple government initiatives, and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visits to puja mandaps (pavilions) have been major points of discussion. Nevertheless, the post lacks sufficient information to independently verify whether there is a direct correlation between the government’s security efforts and the alleged pressure from the UK.
The report notes that the Bangladesh government extended the public holiday for Durga Puja from one to three days this year. In addition to the standard government grants for the celebrations, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman allocated an extra 10 million (one crore) taka. According to the report, he visited multiple puja pavilions in Dhaka and also traveled to the divisional cities of Rajshahi, Chattogram, and Rangpur to exchange greetings with the Hindu community. The government highlighted that he was the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh to visit puja mandaps outside the capital.
However, Bob Blackman provided no direct evidence in his post that these initiatives were solely the result of British pressure. His assertions are primarily based on the UK Foreign Office’s response to his inquiry and his own account of the High Commissioner’s meeting with the Prime Minister.
Blackman further noted that the UK is keeping up the pressure on the Bangladesh government to ensure a neutral investigation into the violent incidents and to hold those responsible accountable. In his view, merely expressing concern is not enough; it is crucial to arrest the accused and ensure they are punished through a proper legal process.
He mentioned that earlier this month, he held a meeting in the UK Parliament with the Global Sanatan Leaders Association and Bengali-speaking human rights activists to discuss the situation in Bangladesh. Furthermore, he raised the issue during the ‘Business Questions’ session in Parliament on October 15. The MP stated that he has consistently demanded effective action regarding the allegations of attacks on minorities.
The safety of the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh has been discussed in the UK Parliament on multiple occasions in the past. Specifically, a section of the British political establishment has expressed concern over allegations of attacks on Hindus, the vandalism of temples, and the torching of homes during the tenure of the interim government. Bob Blackman has repeatedly raised questions about the situation, and another UK MP, Priti Patel, has echoed his concerns.
In previous parliamentary addresses about Bangladesh, Blackman highlighted allegations of violence against minorities and attacks on places of worship, addressing the security of both the Hindu community and other minority groups. However, the specific nature of each incident, the identities of the perpetrators, and the progress of the investigations require independent verification.
Meanwhile, on October 4, British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke held a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka. Regarding that meeting, the Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary, A.K.M. Nazmul Haque, stated later that day that they had exchanged views on the overall state of existing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the UK, alongside various issues of mutual interest.
According to the information provided by the Assistant Press Secretary, the meeting emphasized further strengthening and diversifying the historical and friendly ties between the two nations. Discussions also encompassed expanding cooperation across various sectors, including trade and investment, economic collaboration, education, skills development, migration, and human resource development.
However, the official press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the meeting made no mention of minority security, concerns over potential violence during Durga Puja, or any pressure from the British government regarding these matters. Consequently, the points raised in Bob Blackman’s assertions were not reflected in the official readout of the meeting.
Blackman’s post also did not elaborate on the specific diplomatic measures taken by the British government concerning the safety of minorities in Bangladesh. Nevertheless, his remarks made it clear that the security of religious minorities in Bangladesh and demands for justice regarding allegations of violence remain active topics of discussion within a section of the UK Parliament.
While the peaceful conclusion of Durga Puja in Bangladesh has brought the government’s security measures into focus, British MPs have simultaneously pressed for ensuring the investigation and prosecution of past allegations of violence against minorities. However, to ascertain exactly how much of a role the alleged British pressure played in securing the festival, it is crucial to rely on the official statements from both governments and the finer details of the relevant diplomatic engagements.
Source: The Wall
