Bangladeshi Americans urge Donald Trump to protect minorities in Bangladesh

Washington: Describing the ongoing atrocities against religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh as an “existential threat” from Islamist forces, a coalition of Bangladeshi American Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians has urged President-elect Donald Trump to intervene and help protect minority communities in the country.

Urging Trump to secure the immediate release of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who they said has been falsely imprisoned on sedition charges, the group on Sunday said Bangladesh risks descending into radicalisation, which could have far-reaching effects not only for South Asia but for the rest of the world as well.

Das, a former ISKCON leader, was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. A court in Chattogram sent him to jail, rejecting his bail petition as he was accused of a sedition charge for allegedly disrespecting the country's flag. The hearing in the case will be held on January 2, 2025.

In a memorandum addressed to Trump, the group suggested linking Bangladesh’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions to the cessation of internal ethnic and religious persecution.

The memorandum also proposed a comprehensive Minority Protection Act to recognise minorities and indigenous groups officially. Key recommendations included the establishment of safe enclaves, a separate electorate for minorities, and laws against hate crimes and hate speech to protect religious practices and cultural heritage, according to a media release.