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Justice not ensured to victims of communal violence

Shahriar Kabir says

Staff Correspondent
Authorities have to ensure that communal violence surrounding national elections in 2001 and 2014 will not be repeated this time, said a national coordination committee of minorities.
The group that uses religion as a tool to gain political advantage becomes active ahead of polls and organises "Waz Mahfil" (religious programme) where hate speeches against minorities, secularism and women are delivered on the pretext of giving lessons on religion, said eminent writer and President of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee Shahriar Kabir at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club yesterday.
Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad and Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee organised the conference yesterday, demanding protection of minorities from pre- and post-polls violence targeti ng them.
Father Albert Rozario, a leader of the Christian community, said all are protected when the minorities are protected since they
are the most vulnerable.
Expecting that there will be free and fair polls with participation of all parties that believe in democracy, Oikya Parishad and Nirmul Committee said whoever win the polls and form government, people want them to ensure equal rights and dignity for all - irrespective of religion, gender, language and wealth.
The organisations placed a 12-point demand focusing on the rights of minorities. In a press release, they said they want to see reflection of their expectations and demands in manifestos of all political parties contesting in the polls.
Justice cannot be ensured to victims of communal violence under the existing Penal Code, which is why a minority protection act is necessary, Shahriar said.
When an incident of communal violence occurs, a chaotic situation arises and people get displaced. It becomes very difficult to get medical evidence of crimes like rapes of minority women, he said, adding that in such cases victims testimonies before a magistrate should be the basis to punish the perpetrators.
"We demand quick implementation of the [Chittagong Hill Tracts) Peace Accord and CHT Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act," the organisations said in the press statement.
The constitution adopted immediately after independence prohibited discrimination and torture on religious grounds and accepted democracy, socialism, secu-
larism and nationalism as four basic principles.
"It is unfortunate for the country and the people" that secularism, socialism and Bengali nationalism were removed from the constitution after the assassinations of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four other national leaders in 1975. The restriction on politics using religion was also withdrawn.
That gave rise to religious bigotry and communalism in the country, according to the statement.