Bangladeshi Journalist Mobbed in Dhaka: Senior Bangladeshi journalist Munni Saha was surrounded by a mob in Dhaka and accused of spreading misinformation and “trying to make Bangladesh a part of India”. During this, Munni Saha kept saying, “This is also my country.” Eventually the police came and saved him from the crowd and took him into custody.
According to Bangladeshi media reports, Munni Saha was wanted in a case related to the death of a student, which took place during anti-reservation protests. These demonstrations played a big role in ending the power of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Police said that Munni Saha was rescued from Kawaran Bazaar area of Dhaka, where a mob had surrounded him.
“People handed her over to the police. She had a panic attack. Due to her health and being a female journalist, she has been released,” senior Dhaka Metropolitan Police official Rezaul Karim Mallik told The Daily Star. The police have directed Munni Saha to seek bail from the court and cooperate in further police investigation.
Tense scene seen in viral video
In a video going viral on social media, Munni Saha can be seen surrounded by a crowd. A voice is heard in the video, accusing him of spreading misinformation related to the Bangladesh Rifles insurgency in 2009, in which 57 people were killed. Allegingly it was said, “You are making every possible effort to make this country a part of India. Your hands are stained with the blood of students.”
Munni Saha denied these allegations and said, “How did I harm this country? This is also my country.” Munni Saha has previously been the news head of ATN News. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government, he and many other journalists were accused of crimes against humanity.
Concerns increased over the situation of minority Hindus
Amidst this incident with Munni Saha, concerns have increased regarding the situation of minority Hindus in Bangladesh. Recently, Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was arrested in Dhaka, who was demanding legal protection of the Hindu community and a ministry for minority affairs. A case of treason has been registered against this priest associated with ISKCON.
ISKCON said two more monks, Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari, have also been arrested. The vice president of ISKCON Kolkata claimed that the ISKCON center in Bangladesh was also targeted by the rioters.
India expressed concern over attacks on minorities
After the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power, an interim government led by Nobel laureate and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus is in power. Meanwhile, many incidents of attacks on minority Hindus have come to light.
India’s Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over the increasing violence and extremist rhetoric against minorities in Bangladesh. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has appealed to the interim government of Bangladesh to take concrete steps for the protection of minorities.
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