On December 18, the Arts4All Foundation and Congressman Shri Thanedar held a Peace For All Rally at the United States Capitol to call for an end to the violence, atrocities, and persecution of vulnerable, indigenous, and minority populations in Bangladesh.
In July, widespread student protests in Bangladesh led to the overthrow of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. In the months that followed, the country saw political turmoil, which often turned violent. There were also reports of the imprisonment of religious leaders, the killing of religious, ethnic, and indigenous minorities, and targeted attacks on religious centers or temples. United Nations reports indicate that hundreds of people have lost their lives, and tens of thousands have been displaced in only the last few months.
The Arts4All Foundation, a human rights organization, gathered community leaders of all backgrounds and professions from across the country, including Holocaust survivors, to call on the United States Congress to take immediate action to stop the violence in Bangladesh and prevent the genocide, human rights violations, and displacement of minorities in Bangladesh.
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Apart from Congressman Thanedar, community leaders like Dr. Sachi Dastidar, Dr. Susmita Jasty, Bina Sabapathy, Ashwani Beri, Neeru Beri, Anil Gupta, and Nisha Gupta attended the rally, along with Holocaust survivor Mr. Sami Steigmann.
Dr. Sumita SenGupta, founder of the Arts4All Foundation said, “Right now, the situation is so dire in Bangladesh that religious and ethnic minorities face extinction unless action is taken to de-escalate tensions, stop the imprisonment of religious minorities, and put an end to the violent attacks, inhumane treatment, mass atrocities, and extremism.”
Congressman Shri Thanedar said, “I rise today with a sense of urgency to bring awareness to the escalating crisis of human rights violations in Bangladesh. Whether at home or abroad, we cannot remain silent while innocent people are subjected to unspeakable acts of violence due to their religious beliefs.”