Title: Bangla Hindus on PM's agenda
Author:  Deepak Sharma
Publication: The Daily Pioneer
Date: Nov 4, 2001
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/archives1/secon2.asp?cat=\story4&d=FRONT_PAGE&fdnam=nov401

Islamabad and Dhaka now have something in common. Rising fundamentalist threat at both the centres of power will likely be discussed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his talks with US President George Bush.

With a powerful lobby of the US Congressmen expressing concern over "ethnic cleansing" in Bangladesh, Mr Vajpayee during his talks with Bush would take up the cause of one million Bangladeshi Hindus rendered homeless since pro-fundamentalist Government rose to power in Dhaka.

Top sources in South Block said that in a confidential letter sent to Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, the Indian Ambassador-at-large in the US, Bhishma K Agnihotri has said that leaders of various groups from Bangladesh met him in Washington and urged that New Delhi take steps to prevent large scale ethnic cleansing of Hindus.

Mr Agnihotri has referred to the report of Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) which says that Ms Khaleda Zia's government supported by fundamentalist Jamait-e-Islami party has failed to prevent minority killings. Cases of extortion, assault, rape and desecration of temples have increased.

Mr Agnihotri also mentioned a memorandum submitted with the US President by Bangladeshi Hindus of America (BHA). Requesting President Bush to prevent Bangladesh from becoming another Afghanistan, BHA has stated that a section of the ruling coalition in Dhaka is pro-Taliban. Bha has accused Jamait-e-islami cadres of unleashing violence on Hindus and other minorities.

South Block sources said that due to large scale violence, there has been a recent influx from Bangladesh to West Bengal and Tripura. The influx is related to political vendetta against Awami League supporters. Even the Durga Puja celebrations remained low key in Bangladesh this year.