Former Indian envoy Veena Sikri's open letter highlights "deteriorating situation" in Bangladesh

She further asserted that the July and August 2024 events in Bangladesh, initially perceived as student protests, have been exposed as a "meticulously designed" regime change operation, as revealed by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus during the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on September 24.

Notably, the open letter, written in December, consists of a total of 685 signatories consisting of 19 retired Judges, 105 retired Bureaucrats, 34 Ambassadors, 300 Vice Chancellors, 192 retired Armed forces officers and 35 persons from Civil Society.

In the letter, Veena Sikri wrote, "We are addressing this Open Letter to you, the People of Bangladesh, in the sincere hope that this will help the people of both Bangladesh and India to continue together along the path of peace, friendship and understanding that has sustained us for well over 50 years, since the creation of Bangladesh."

"The people of India view with increasing alarm and concern the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh. The series of events in July and August 2024 were initially described as the result of a spontaneous uprising by students across Bangladesh. However, on 24 September 2024, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus publicly stated at a gathering of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York that the regime change operation, far from being spontaneous, was "meticulously designed," planned well in advance and spearheaded by an Adviser in the Interim regime, who is also Special Assistant to Professor Muhammad Yunus," the letter added.

On the judiciary and executive of Bangladesh, Sikri wrote, "An atmosphere of anarchy prevails in Bangladesh, with mobocracy the preferred method of decision-making. A pattern of enforced resignations has been followed across the country in the public and private sectors, covering the judiciary, the executive (including the police), academia and even media houses. The police force has still not returned to duty in full force and, despite the army having been given magistracy and police powers, normalcy has yet to return."

On the treatment of minorities in the country, Sikri in the open letter wrote, "The worst brunt of the chaotic situation prevailing in Bangladesh is being borne by the 15 million strong minority communities of Bangladesh, including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, as well as the Shias, Ahmadiyyas and others."

"For over four months, fundamentalist Islamist groups have unleashed violent, terrorist attacks on religious minorities across the country in almost every district, involving desecration and vandalisation of places of worship, abductions and rape, lynchings, extrajudicial executions, killings, forced conversions, along with wanton destruction of homes and business establishments. Even where there is irrefutable evidence, no action has been taken against the culprits," the letter added.

Sikri in her letter also wrote about Chinmoy Krishna Das. The letter said, "Chinmoy Krishna Das, formerly with the globally renowned ISKCON, together with his colleagues in the Sanatani Jagran Jote put forward an 8-point demand on behalf of the religious minorities of Bangladesh, seeking the enactment of a minority protection law in Bangladesh, with a ministry for the protection of minorities, a special tribunal for trial of cases of minority persecution, including compensation and rehabilitation of victims, a law to recover and protect temples (Debottar), proper enforcement of the Vested Property Return Act, and upgradation of the existing (separate) Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Welfare Trusts to Foundations."

"There is no response from the Yunus administration on these demands. Chinmoy Krishna Das has been arrested on charges of sedition, denied bail without a hearing and his lawyers are facing organized intimidation in their efforts to defend him in court and obtain bail. He is being denied a free and fair trial," the letter added.

Recently, there have been multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There also have been cases of arson and looting of minorities' homes and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples. The arrest of priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Chittagong on October 25 led to protests.

India had on November 26 noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote.

India had urged Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. (ANI)