Religious freedom of religious minorities is in danger

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) warns about the restriction of religious freedom in Bangladesh and demands better protection for the oppressed Hindus, Christians and Buddhists. "Bangladesh is facing an exodus of religious minorities if there are no effective measures to secure religious freedom and to protect the people from attacks by radical Islamists," said the STP's Asia-consultant, Ulrich Delius, in Göttingen on Monday. "Burning temples, shops and homes of Hindus and Buddhists and also the calls to introduce Islamic Sharia laws are creating a climate of fear among the Hindus, Christians and Buddhists." On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of Islamist demonstrators had formed mass protests in the capital of Dhaka, demanding the implementation of a 13-point plan for an Islamisation of the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasized the religious freedom and the protection of all religions in the country, which is inhabited by a Muslim majority of about 90 percent. She also rejects the introduction of blasphemy laws and other demands for a further Islamization. "However, the insidious Islamization of Bangladesh has reached an alarming level," Delius. "Even without the blasphemy laws, it is risky for bloggers and journalists to comment on matters of the Islam. Several bloggers are threatened with criminal proceedings and must fear for their lives because they dared to criticize the Islamization."

It is not only the Islam-critics who live in fear for their life and their property – this also concerns members of the religious minorities: it is especially the Hindus and Buddhists and their religious institutions that are being attacked by radical Islamists. 50 Hindu temples, 1,500 homes and 300 businesses were destroyed or burned down since February of 2013. The recent wave of violence was caused by a death sentence against the leader of the radical Islamic Jamaat-e-Islami party, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, on 28 February 2013. The ruling was found by a war crimes tribunal that pursues crimes committed during the liberation war of 1971. Numerous Buddhist temples have since been destroyed in attacks by suspected Islamists.

Due to the lack of protection, the percentage of members of religious minorities will continue to decline. When the state of Bangladesh was founded in 1971, about 30 percent of the population belonged to the religious minorities. The percentage has fallen to 9.7 percent by 2012. Today, the largest religious minority group is represented by the Hindus. The Christians make up only 0.3 percent of the total population. The Christians live in fear too, although there have been only very few victims of violence so far, due to their small number.