٠٠:٠٤:٠٥Members of Bangladesh's opposition Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami gathered alongside Hindu leaders on Monday, following reports of attacks on the minority Hindu community in the wake of former PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
"Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will stand by wherever there is deprivation. Jamaat-e-Islami will stand by where there is scarcity, you tell us, we will stand by according to our ability. We are not in the government but we will do what we can for you," said one of the members of Jamaat-e-Islami Abdullah Mohammad Taher.
Jamaat-e-Islami opened its own offices in Dhaka last week for the first time in 13 years, after being shut down by court order. It came as the country's interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge, after Hasina resigned and fled last week amid large-scale demonstrations.
According to media reports, Hindus - accounting for around 10 percent of the country which is 90 percent Muslim - are widely seen as supporters of Hasina, with many reports of attacks on homes and businesses since last week. However, those present also spoke of their negative experiences under her government too.
"During the rule of [Hasina's] Awami League we saw in Nasir Nagar, from Comilla to Chandpur, Chaumuhani, huge temples were destroyed. Temples worth billions of rupees were reduced to dust, villages were burnt in Thakurgaon, Rangpur," claimed Govinda Chandra of the National Hindu Grand Alliance.
Santosh Sharma, General Secretary of the Hindu Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council, said the 'political identity' of 'criminals' was not important, but that they should be 'tried, whichever party they belong to'.
Mia Golam Parwar, another member of Jamaat-e-Islami, praised the relationship between the two religious groups.
"Hindus all over the country have voted for us," he said. "For that I have an experience with Hindus. Your heart is very big. I say in my area that a person of any religion can never be dishonest if he is sincere about the principles of his religion… The bond of harmony between you and us is sincere. In God's will, our misunderstandings will be removed. We people of all religions can build a new Bangladesh of peace and prosperity together."
On Sunday, Yunus's interim government also pledged to 'resolve such heinous attacks' on 'religious minorities'.
Earlier, President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin held negotiations with all national parties and met with the military and student leaders, proposing Yunus as interim chief.
Hasina quit after weeks of anti-government protests, triggered by student demonstrations against the quota system for government jobs. Under the system, a third of public sector jobs were reserved for relatives of those who served in the 1971 independence war, while many called for a new merit-based approach.
Violent clashes ensued and over 40 people reported killed, before demonstrators stormed Hasina's official residence and other government buildings. She had been in power for 15 years.
'We will do what we can for you' - Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami stand alongside Hindu leaders following reports of attacks as interim govt takes charge
Members of Bangladesh's opposition Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami gathered alongside Hindu leaders on Monday, following reports of attacks on the minority Hindu community in the wake of former PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
"Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will stand by wherever there is deprivation. Jamaat-e-Islami will stand by where there is scarcity, you tell us, we will stand by according to our ability. We are not in the government but we will do what we can for you," said one of the members of Jamaat-e-Islami Abdullah Mohammad Taher.
Jamaat-e-Islami opened its own offices in Dhaka last week for the first time in 13 years, after being shut down by court order. It came as the country's interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge, after Hasina resigned and fled last week amid large-scale demonstrations.
According to media reports, Hindus - accounting for around 10 percent of the country which is 90 percent Muslim - are widely seen as supporters of Hasina, with many reports of attacks on homes and businesses since last week. However, those present also spoke of their negative experiences under her government too.
"During the rule of [Hasina's] Awami League we saw in Nasir Nagar, from Comilla to Chandpur, Chaumuhani, huge temples were destroyed. Temples worth billions of rupees were reduced to dust, villages were burnt in Thakurgaon, Rangpur," claimed Govinda Chandra of the National Hindu Grand Alliance.
Santosh Sharma, General Secretary of the Hindu Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council, said the 'political identity' of 'criminals' was not important, but that they should be 'tried, whichever party they belong to'.
Mia Golam Parwar, another member of Jamaat-e-Islami, praised the relationship between the two religious groups.
"Hindus all over the country have voted for us," he said. "For that I have an experience with Hindus. Your heart is very big. I say in my area that a person of any religion can never be dishonest if he is sincere about the principles of his religion… The bond of harmony between you and us is sincere. In God's will, our misunderstandings will be removed. We people of all religions can build a new Bangladesh of peace and prosperity together."
On Sunday, Yunus's interim government also pledged to 'resolve such heinous attacks' on 'religious minorities'.
Earlier, President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin held negotiations with all national parties and met with the military and student leaders, proposing Yunus as interim chief.
Hasina quit after weeks of anti-government protests, triggered by student demonstrations against the quota system for government jobs. Under the system, a third of public sector jobs were reserved for relatives of those who served in the 1971 independence war, while many called for a new merit-based approach.
Violent clashes ensued and over 40 people reported killed, before demonstrators stormed Hasina's official residence and other government buildings. She had been in power for 15 years.
Members of Bangladesh's opposition Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami gathered alongside Hindu leaders on Monday, following reports of attacks on the minority Hindu community in the wake of former PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
"Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will stand by wherever there is deprivation. Jamaat-e-Islami will stand by where there is scarcity, you tell us, we will stand by according to our ability. We are not in the government but we will do what we can for you," said one of the members of Jamaat-e-Islami Abdullah Mohammad Taher.
Jamaat-e-Islami opened its own offices in Dhaka last week for the first time in 13 years, after being shut down by court order. It came as the country's interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge, after Hasina resigned and fled last week amid large-scale demonstrations.
According to media reports, Hindus - accounting for around 10 percent of the country which is 90 percent Muslim - are widely seen as supporters of Hasina, with many reports of attacks on homes and businesses since last week. However, those present also spoke of their negative experiences under her government too.
"During the rule of [Hasina's] Awami League we saw in Nasir Nagar, from Comilla to Chandpur, Chaumuhani, huge temples were destroyed. Temples worth billions of rupees were reduced to dust, villages were burnt in Thakurgaon, Rangpur," claimed Govinda Chandra of the National Hindu Grand Alliance.
Santosh Sharma, General Secretary of the Hindu Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council, said the 'political identity' of 'criminals' was not important, but that they should be 'tried, whichever party they belong to'.
Mia Golam Parwar, another member of Jamaat-e-Islami, praised the relationship between the two religious groups.
"Hindus all over the country have voted for us," he said. "For that I have an experience with Hindus. Your heart is very big. I say in my area that a person of any religion can never be dishonest if he is sincere about the principles of his religion… The bond of harmony between you and us is sincere. In God's will, our misunderstandings will be removed. We people of all religions can build a new Bangladesh of peace and prosperity together."
On Sunday, Yunus's interim government also pledged to 'resolve such heinous attacks' on 'religious minorities'.
Earlier, President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin held negotiations with all national parties and met with the military and student leaders, proposing Yunus as interim chief.
Hasina quit after weeks of anti-government protests, triggered by student demonstrations against the quota system for government jobs. Under the system, a third of public sector jobs were reserved for relatives of those who served in the 1971 independence war, while many called for a new merit-based approach.
Violent clashes ensued and over 40 people reported killed, before demonstrators stormed Hasina's official residence and other government buildings. She had been in power for 15 years.