Jama Masjid Shahi Imam to Bangladesh: 'Curb injustices against Hindus'

Ahmed Bukhari pointed out that India and Bangladesh had maintained close relations since the latter's creation.

The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, on Tuesday, asked the Bangladesh government to stop injustices and assaults against Hindus in the country. He said the reputation of the current head of the country's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, should remain untarnished.

Syed Ahmed Bukhari

"As a credible neighbour, a close ally of Bangladesh, and a custodian of shared cultural heritage, I expect the current head of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, to take immediate steps to curb any injustices against the Hindu minority. He should ensure that his international reputation remains untarnished. As a Muslim-majority country, Islam and Islamic jurisprudence inherently leave no room for any form of prejudice or injustice against minorities in Bangladesh," he said in a letter.

Ahmed Bukhari pointed out that India and Bangladesh had maintained close relations since the latter's creation.

“Since the establishment of Bangladesh, our national leadership, media, civil society, and influential circles have maintained close relations with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his daughter Sheikh Hasina Wajid, and their party, the Awami League. In terms of diplomacy and matters related to the region, international affairs, and the Muslim world, Bangladesh has always stood by us as a close ally,” he said.

The Shahi Imam also noted that after Sheikh Hasina's departure to India, the backlash against her led to both Muslim and non-Muslim supporters of the Awami League becoming targets of the unrest that followed her removal.

"Up to this point, it remained an internal matter of Bangladesh. However, the ongoing injustices, assaults, and unilateral actions against the Hindu minority are condemnable and must stop immediately. There is no justification for such actions. The government must always acknowledge the role we have played in their establishment and development process and the unparalleled history of our support and care for millions of refugees. We were the first to stand by them in every natural disaster," Shahi Imam added.

Ahmed Bukhari also underscored that the United Nations has a universal declaration regarding the protection of equal rights for minorities, which is binding on all members of the international community and all UN member states.

Several Hindus and Hindu organisations have come under attack in Bangladesh since the unceremonial removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.

Last month, the Bangladesh authorities arrested Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges.

With inputs from ANI