Protesters in Canada demand protection for minorities in Bangladesh

The protest was organised by the group Bangladeshi Hindi Canadians, but also drew support from other organisations. It was held on Saturday afternoon at Nathan Philips Square, adjoining Toronto’s City Hall.

The protesters raised slogans against the ongoing atrocities targeting minority communities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus and demanded justice from the interim government in Dhaka led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus as well the international community including action from Ottawa.

“We want the Canadian government to help put international pressure to stop the cleansing of Hindus and restoration of democracy in Bangladesh, citizen’s rights and law and order,” one of the principal organisers Niranjan Sarker said.

Jyoti Dutta Purkayastha, who also addressed the crowd, added that they wanted Ottowa to “publicly denounce” the ongoing massacre of minorities and issue a “condemnation letter” and exhibit the willingness “to prosecute those inflicting the violence”.

She also said they were seeking international aid to the vulnerable minorities, who have had their communities devastated as well as Canada putting in place a system to provide them with refugee status.

The protest was supported by groups like the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) which demanded that Canadian lawmakers recognise the persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus and ensure their protection. Also present were Indo-Canadian and Jewish groups and other allies.

Among them was the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce(CHCC).

CHCC’s vice-president Amit Chowdhury, who is of Bangladeshi origin, said they were concerned over reports of Hindu-owned businesses being vandalised and looted and sought their protection. “They (Bangladeshi Hindus) have been affected in a lot of ways since August 5 and the government should step forward to protect them,” he said.

The protest on Saturday was among a series in Canada beginning on August 7 with one at City Hall in Calgary in the province of Alberta. Protests are being held in Hamilton in Ontario and Montreal in Quebec, while Toronto will witness another such demonstration on Sunday at the Shaheed Minar in Scarborough, which was inaugurated in 2021, and marks, as its original namesake in Dhaka, the martyrs who died as part of the Bengali Language Movement in 1952 against Islamabad when present-day Bangladesh was still part of Pakistan.

Sarker said such demonstrations will continue till their demands are met and the large gathering in Toronto had given them momentum. “We feel more courage to go forward,” he said.