45 overseas Bangladeshi groups demand apology for Home Adviser’s Durga Puja comments

Forty-five overseas Bangladeshi organizations from countries including Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Sweden have strongly condemned remarks made by Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury regarding the Durga Puja festival.

In a joint statement, the organizations demanded an immediate retraction of the Home Adviser’s derogatory comments and called for an unconditional public apology to Bangladesh’s Hindu community.

The statement, issued by Sharmistha Saha, Director of the Australian Federation for Ethnic and Religious Minorities in Bangladesh Limited, highlighted a recent press conference where the Home Advisor stated, “Alcohol and drugs will not be allowed during Durga Puja.” The organizations criticized this as a violation of Article 20(2) of the United Nations’ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits state-led propaganda inciting ethnic, racial, or religious hatred.

The statement outlined four key demands: immediate withdrawal of the comments and an apology from the Home Adviser; dismissal from his position if he refuses; assurance from the interim government to protect the security and religious freedom of Durga Puja celebrations nationwide; and a firm commitment that no religious festival will be disparaged or restricted by official statements in the future. Additionally, it called for effective administrative measures to safeguard all religious and ethnic minorities.

The organizations expressed deep concern that by linking Durga Puja, the principal religious festival of Bangladesh’s approximately 15 million Hindus, with drugs and antisocial activities, the Home Advisor not only insulted Hinduism but also jeopardized the country’s fragile communal harmony. They described the comments as irresponsible and harmful, causing distress among Hindu communities both in Bangladesh and abroad.

The joint statement urged the international community, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and global human rights organizations, to monitor the situation closely and pressure Bangladesh to uphold its obligations under international law to protect minority rights.

Reaffirming their solidarity with Bangladesh’s secular and democratic values, the overseas organizations pledged to continue advocating for pluralism, interfaith harmony, and human dignity.