Bangladesh's Hindu Minister Pledges Protection for Minorities and Stronger India Ties
In a significant development for Bangladesh's political landscape, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, the 77-year-old lone Hindu minister in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's government, has made strong commitments to safeguard minority communities and restore cordial relations with India. As vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's central committee and newly appointed culture minister, Chowdhury asserted that fundamentalism would not be allowed to spread in the country.
Taking Office with a Mandate for Change
Chowdhury spoke exclusively to TOI in a telephone interview shortly after taking oath as culture minister alongside 48 other members, including state ministers, in the cabinet headed by Rahman. Among the 25 newly elected members of the National Parliament from BNP who were sworn in as ministers alongside the new prime minister, Chowdhury stands out as a party veteran with a decisive electoral victory.
He won from the Magura-2 constituency with an impressive 1.47 lakh votes, defeating Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's Mustarshid Billah, who secured 1.17 lakh votes. This victory positioned him to play a crucial role in the new administration's cultural and minority affairs policies.
Criticism of Previous Government's Legacy
Referring to the state of governance he inherited, Chowdhury offered a stark assessment of the previous government led by Sheikh Hasina. "Almost everything was in disorder," he stated, explaining that the country's institutions had been left in tatters. He emphasized that after being elected to form the new government, it became their duty to bring Bangladesh back on track.
While noting that the BNP does not want to indulge in excessive criticism of the past, Chowdhury outlined specific areas of institutional damage. He alleged that when Hasina fled Bangladesh in 2024, the country was "completely broken." According to his claims, the education system suffered the most significant damage, with policies under the Awami League allegedly designed to pass 98% of students in examinations irrespective of merit.
"It was done to falsely show that the literacy rate of Bangladesh was increasing along with the passing percentage of students," he asserted, suggesting that educational standards had been compromised for political optics.
Cultural Restoration and Minority Safety Commitments
Chowdhury also accused the previous regime of damaging the country's cultural fabric. During the Awami League government, he claimed that "all sorts of obscene dance and music along with hooliganism were encouraged while pushing our actual cultural values on the backburner." He pledged that the new government would work to repair these cultural pillars while upholding the ethos of unity in diversity, which he claimed had been ruined.
Addressing apprehensions regarding the safety of minorities, particularly Hindus, amid incidents such as the brutal killing of Dipu Chandra Das and concerns over rising fundamentalism, Chowdhury pointed to what he described as a significant turnout of Hindu voters in the recent elections. He noted that such turnout was not witnessed in other communities and reflected a shift in political thinking.
"Hindus realised that they cannot be treated as mere vote-bank by any party in Bangladesh," Chowdhury explained. "They felt that they are an inseparable part of this Bangladesh." He emphasized that members of the community had businesses, properties, and livelihoods in the country, with their children studying in local schools, making relocation impossible.
Electoral Significance and Political Realignment
Chowdhury revealed that Prime Minister Rahman and other BNP leaders met with Hindu voters before the elections to assure them of safety and security. "They realised that they too are independent citizens of this country with equal rights to life and livelihood as mentioned in our constitution," he said. "Hence, they voted in large numbers for the BNP, for which we are grateful."
The minister noted that most political parties have now realized the importance of Hindus in electoral politics, acknowledging that their support is crucial in at least 80 of the total 297 constituencies in the National Parliament. He observed that while the majority of Hindu voters had previously supported the Awami League, many felt insecure after its leaders fled the country in 2024. Chowdhury credited Rahman with working to remove that fear and win their support.
Rebuilding Relations with India
On the crucial subject of ties with India, which had deteriorated during the interim government led by Mohammed Yunus following the toppling of Sheikh Hasina's government in 2024, Chowdhury expressed the new administration's commitment to developing good relations with all neighbors, including India.
"We want to have ties which have mutual respect, interest, and understanding," he stated clearly. "We will work on issues related to internal security of both Bangladesh and India, because we believe that will make a strong base for mutual respect between the two."
Cultural Diplomacy and Future Vision
As culture minister, Chowdhury emphasized that Bengali culture is rich and that Bangladesh has cultural ties with at least 48 countries, including India. He pledged that the government would strengthen these ties by focusing on traditions followed by previous generations while actively fighting fundamentalism and anti-cultural elements.
In his concluding remarks, Chowdhury expressed a collective vision for the nation's future: "We all together will work for a better Bangladesh." His statements reflect a comprehensive approach to governance that addresses institutional repair, minority protection, cultural restoration, and international diplomacy simultaneously.
