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Minority rights

12 January 2004, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By MA Rub, A human rights activist Uttara, Dhaka 1230
12 January 2004, 18:00 PM
Your news item "US State Department lauds Dhaka for religious freedom, critical of minority rights", December 22, 2003( front page) reflected a partial view of the reality of rural life in the context of minority rights preservation, protection and promotion. The report released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, has noted that many of the "religious minorities who have been victims of crimes" or of "politically motivated violence", have not been verified independently.

Investigations into this kind of incidents or violence could not be carried out due to fund constraints and shortage of police personnel in particular, during the post-election (October 2001 ) period when such violence took place sporadically in rural Bangladesh . However, the US State Department report has mentioned; "The government sometimes has failed to investigate the crimes and prosecute the perpetrators, who are often the local gang leaders."

The fact is that the backbone of the real perpetrators of the crimes and violence upon the minorities in rural Bangladesh is really a small group or political leaders and influential villagers who wield power and try to grab the landed property or homes of the minorities by fair or foul means.

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