Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday said the people responsible for attacking Hindus around the country should be punished regardless of their political stripes.
Such attacks were a shame for the nation, she told the BBC Bangladesh Sanglap, a debate on contemporary affairs, in the capital’s Biam auditorium.
In response to a question from the audience, BNP Standing Committee Member Mahbubur Rahman, another of the four panellists, termed Hindus a “pawn on the chess board”.
“After elections, one party wins while the other loses. But Hindus always remain the loser. They are never accepted by the winners,” he said.
Architect Mobasser Hossain said persecution of the minority Hindus were to grab their properties.
Talking over whether sealing the press of the Bangla daily Inquilab by the government recently rings any alarm for other houses, Mahbubur said others might feel a pressure for this.
Matia, however, called the action a temporary measure and said the newspaper had published an article intentionally at a time when Hindus were being attacked countrywide.
In its Thursday issue, the Inquilab claimed India’s participation in the joint force drive against criminals in violence-hit Satkhira but issued an apology yesterday.
Mobasser, however, said the government should not shut media houses arbitrarily.
In another reply, Mahbubur said the foreign countries had not accepted the 10th national polls, and another election should be organised as per the recommendations of the European Union and United States.
Talking about Jatiya Party’s double role in the government and opposition, the BNP leader termed it a “staged drama”. Because of such a role, the party cannot do constructive criticism as the opposition, he said.