Bangladesh’s Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami has fielded a Hindu candidate, Krishna Nandi, from the Khulna-1 constituency for the upcoming general elections, a move widely seen as an attempt to reach out to minority communities amid recent attacks on Hindus across the politically unstable country.
Addressing a Jamaat-e-Islami election rally at Khulna Circuit House Maidan on Tuesday, Nandi said that if the party comes to power, Hindus would be treated as “kith and kin”.
He sought to allay fears within the Hindu community about Jamaat-e-Islami’s governance, saying such concerns were unfounded.
“Our mission is to ensure a safe and dignified environment for people of all religions,” Nandi was quoted as saying by Views Bangladesh.Nandi’s remarks come amid a surge in attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh following the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024, after weeks of intense protests against her administration.
The situation is reported to have worsened further after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, an anti-India radical student leader.
In one of the most shocking recent incidents, Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker, was lynched by a mob and later set on fire over allegations of blasphemy. A video of the killing later surfaced on social media, triggering widespread condemnation.
