Hindu activists call for closure of Bangladesh Embassy amid ‘religious attacks’
A group of local Hindu activists has called for the immediate closure of the Bangladesh Embassy in South Africa.
This follows reports of attacks on religious minorities after the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the South Asian country.
Hindus are the largest minority faith in mostly Muslim Bangladesh and are considered a steadfast support base for Hasina's party, the Awami League.
Hasina's abrupt resignation and flight abroad last week brought an end to her 15 years of autocratic rule, there were numerous reports of attacks against Hindu households, temples and businesses.
READ: Bangladesh PM Hasina flees country, military takes over
Local activists held a protest in solidarity with the Bangladeshi Hindus in Phoenix yesterday.
The group's leader Mervin Govender believes the South African government is not giving the situation the same attention as the war in Gaza.
"Yesterday [Sunday], we had a peaceful picket highlighting the genocide, rape of women, the torture of students being thrown from four-story buildings because they are Hindu,” he said.
"It's basically a class system. The rich vs the poor, the poor are not being heard in the country because if you have money it will fund the ruling party, then you will be heard.
"Hence, you see this sort of treatment, it's double standards by the SA government. We got a series of protests planned, one at Dirco [Department of International Relations and Cooperation] by the end of this week."
