Weeks after six US congressmen wrote a letter to President Biden containing what minority community leaders denounced as “false projection of the state of minorities in Bangladesh,” another letter has emerged. This one signed by six members of the European Parliament (MEPs) is addressed to High Representative/Vice-President of the European Union (EU) Josep Borrell Fontelles. What surprised several political and diplomatic commentators as well as netizens are the striking similarities between the two letters, including both misspelling the last name of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister.
“Sheikh Hasina Wazad” is how the name of the Prime Minister appears in both letters, as pointed out by several Twitter users – with one writing: “Do these elected reps even check what they sign? Or simply attest texts handed to them by lobbyists?”
Like the previous letter, this one – dated June 12, 2023 – also alleges “abuse” of “ethnic and religious minorities, including the minority Christian population in Bangladesh” by the government.
Several noted minority community leaders have already denounced the claim, calling it an “absolutely false projection” of the state of minorities in Bangladesh.
Referring to the letter by six US congressmen, Archbishop Emeritus Patrick D'Rozario earlier rejected the projection of the state of Bangladesh’s Christian community as being “persecuted” under the current government.
Calling such assertions “incorrect”, the former Archbishop of Dhaka insisted that the government has stood by the Christian community in Bangladesh against bigots.
“Under the current government, Christians have received support; it is safe to say that they have stood by us,” said D'Rozario, who, in 2016, became the first Bangladeshi to be formally inducted into the Roman Catholic Church's College of Cardinals, an elite body which advises and elects popes.
The letter by six members of the European Parliament also suggests a “polls-time caretaker government.”
Regarding the caretaker government system, renowned human rights activist and lawyer Sultana Kamal had earlier said, “A caretaker government is not capable of delivering solutions to all the problems.”
Also read: Letter from 6 members of European Parliament reflects views of signatories, Ambassador tells UNB
Referring to her stint with the caretaker system, Sultana Kamal, who resigned from the then caretaker government, rather stressed on the need for an “independent Election Commission” and political will.
The letter signed by the MEPs also refers to Odhikar, which raises further questions, as there were allegations against the rights group of publishing “a distorted report and photoshopped images” on the May 5, 2013 police action on a Hefajat-e Islam rally in Dhaka.