Minorities better off under Sheikh Hasina than under BNP -Indian Expert

Hindus are the largest minority constituting 9.6 percent of Bangladesh’s population, but with Islamist political formations coming up in the 1990, Hindus were targeted and attacked on many occasions. Earlier this year the International War Crimes Tribunal set up by the Awami League government indicted several Jamaat members for war crimes against Hindus during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. Buddhism is the second minority religion in Bangladesh, just 0.7% of the population and mainly concentrated near the Chittagong area. On September 29-30 2012 Islamists had looted, vandalised and burnt 19 Buddhist temples and monasteries. To discuss the status and future of minorities in a pre-election year, we speak with Dr Anand Kumar, Associate Fellow at the Institute of
Defence Studies and Analysis.