GUWAHATI
A New Delhi-based rights body has petitioned the United Nations to take note of the racial profiling of Hindu officers under the caretaker government in Bangladesh headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Younus.
The Rights and Risks Analysis Group on Thursday (September 5, 2024) urged the UN Special Rapporteurs handling contemporary forms of racism, freedom of religion or belief, and minority issues to stop the caretaker government in Bangladesh from racially profiling its Hindu officers.
In an order on August 29, 2024, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cotton and Jute directed various departments and institutions under it to provide the list of joint secretary-level Hindu officers by September 2. The order followed an August 27 directive from the Bangladesh President’s Personnel Department to all Ministries and autonomous institutions for such a list.
“Seeking the list of only Hindu officers by the President of Bangladesh is nothing but an act of racial profiling of the Hindus by the Bangladesh government for specific targeting of minorities based on their religious belief,” the rights group’s director,” Suhas Chakma said.
“There is a genuine fear that senior officers belonging to the Hindu minorities will be targeted and effectively silenced. This violates the UN human rights laws relating to racial discrimination and the rights of the minorities and a fit case for the UN rapporteurs to intervene,” he said.
Published - September 05, 2024 12:07 pm IST
