The Inter-Religious Solidarity Council, Mumbai, a group representing members of diverse religious backgrounds, has condemned attacks on Christians in Bangladesh. Christian homes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts have been the latest target of religious violence in Bangladesh.
The group, which includes religious leaders like Keshav Chandra Das, Convenor, IRSC, and International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), pastor Devdan Tribhuvan, Maulana Faiyaz Baqir, Irfan Engineer of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, said they are concerned and anguished by the recent attacks on Christian homes in Bangladesh.
It has been reported that 17 of the 19 houses belonging to the Christian community in Notun Tongjhiri Tripura Para, were set on fire and completely damaged by unidentified people on Christmas Day. miscreants. The other Christian homes were partially damaged. This senseless act of violence is deeply disturbing, especially during a time when the community was attending mass to celebrate Christmas, said IRSC, a platform of religious leaders from all religions and faiths along with leaders from faith communities and civil society.
The IRSC said it condemns the attacks, which not only caused immense physical and emotional suffering to the affected families but also violated the values of love, justice, and forgiveness that Christmas symbolises. The targeting of Christian homes on this sacred occasion is a painful reminder of the urgent need to protect religious freedoms and ensure the safety of all communities, regardless of their faith, said IRSC.
The IRSC added that Bangladesh, a diverse nation with Muslim, Hindu, and Christian populations, must uphold its commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all its citizens. The burning of Christian homes comes after widespread attacks on Hindu homes, businesses, and religious centres. ISKCON centres and leaders have been the target of mobs after the. change of regime in the country.
The IRSC called on the Bangladesh government to bring those responsible for these heinous acts to justice and take concrete measures to ensure the security, equality, and inclusion of all communities within the country. It is imperative that the state foster inter-community dialogue, promote mutual respect, and work towards greater communal harmony, the organisation said.
‘Acts of violence such as this are not only an attack on the Christian community but on the fundamental human right to freedom of religion or belief, a cornerstone of any democratic society. The IRSC urges the Government of Bangladesh to take swift and decisive action to prevent such incidents and to promote a culture of peace, tolerance, and respect for diversity in the country,’ IRSC added.
