Hindu Leader Wins Parliamentary Seat in Bangladesh Amid Reports of Minority Violence

As the Tarique Rahman-headed Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept to victory in the country’s recently concluded elections, one result has drawn particular attention. Senior BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy won the Dhaka-3 constituency. He became the only Hindu candidate to be elected to the new parliament amid a spate of sporadic violence against minorities over the past few months. Born on November 1, 1951, in Keraniganj, Dhaka, Roy is a senior leader in the BNP and currently serves on the party’s Standing Committee, its highest decision-making body. He earlier held key positions in BNP-led governments in the 1990s, including State Minister for Environment and Forests as well as State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock. Over the decades, he has emerged as one of the most prominent Hindu figures in Bangladesh’s mainstream politics. In an earlier interview with Times of India, Roy had refuted reports of the BNP harbouring an anti-Hindu and anti-India bias. Asked about reports of alleged attacks on Hindus and the perception about BNP being anti-minority, Roy had said, “A perception has been created that BNP is anti-Hindu. BNP is made up of people from different communities in Bangladesh and stands for all religions. I have been a minister in this party’s regime and am ranked high enough in the BNP’s highest decision-making forum. BNP is a nationalist party but we believe in the individual rights of all communities.” “When I was a minister in 1991, I started the system of donations for Durga Pujas and no govt after that has stopped the policy, it is still on. It is our party’s govt that did it,” he added. Roy’s win comes at a time of heightened concern over attacks on members of Hindus, including the lynching of garment worker Dipu Chandra Das last year. The incidents strained relations between India and Bangladesh, with Delhi describing the violence as a matter of grave concern and calling for swift action against those responsible. In fact, a Hindu family’s home was also torched in the Birganj sub-district of Dinajpur district after the election results were announced earlier today. According to preliminary information, unidentified individuals allegedly torched the residence. The family members are reported to be safe, though the house was extensively damaged in the blaze, Times Now reported. The BNP has secured over 200 parliamentary seats in elections.