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NAGPUR: Amidst the brutal persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh in the run-up to the February polls, a party registered in April hopes to fight its maiden elections, seeking Hindu and other minority votes. Bangladesh Minority Janta Party (BMJP) is preparing to contest 91 of 300 seats of Jatiya Parishad (national parliament), hoping to win 40 to 45 seats, said the outfit’s president, Sukriti Kumar Mandal.Talking to TOI on phone from Dhaka, Mandal said, “We have zeroed in on constituencies where the minority, especially the Hindu vote-bank, ranges from 20% to 60%.”Scrambling to file nominations before the Monday deadline, Mandal feels Hindus need to feel safe to come out and vote. A tie-up with any mainstream party – be it Tarique Rahman’s BNP or Jamaat-e-Islami – can help. “With an alliance with these parties, minorities can come out of their houses without fearing retaliation. Awami League is off the radar, and BMJP is the only voice of persecuted Hindus,” Mandal told TOI.
Mandal said the party candidates would be finalised in a day or two. “By Saturday, all nominations would be filed,” he said. He said India should change its stand on Bangladesh and only back the cause of Hindus, instead of supporting the Awami League. “If India shifts from its pro-Awami League stand, mainstream Bangladesh parties will sit up and take note. India must know that BMJP is the sole voice of minorities,” Mandal said. A change in stand could also lead to a change in Bangladeshi mindset towards India, he said, adding the Awami League only used India to gain power.The five-point agenda shared with TOI includes working towards a secular Bangladesh, establishing a federal system by carving out five provinces, and establishing fundamental and constitutional rights of each state. BMJP also proposes changes in textbooks with a secular and scientific approach, apart from ensuring fair rights for minorities.
