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Rabindra Ghosh, a prominent Bangladeshi lawyer, on Monday claimed that he has been receiving death threats since he has decided to represent jailed Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das but vowed that he would continue his fight for justice and minority rights.
He alleged that the interim government in Bangladesh was targeting Das as he had been vocal against atrocities on Hindus and was uniting the persecuted minority community.
"I am aware that false cases could be filed against me, but that will not stop me. All my life, I have fought against injustice. I have also fought cases for Muslims and helped them get justice. Death will come one day, but I will continue the fight," the 74-year-old lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court told PTI in a telephonic interview.
Ghosh, while highlighting the role played by the Hindu minority in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, lamented that the ongoing atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh defeat the "very principles" of the war, which was fought to end the unequal treatment of subjects of West Pakistan and East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.
Speaking from Barrackpore, near Kolkata, where he has come for medical treatment, Ghosh said, "Since the day I declared that I will be fighting for Chinmoy Krishna Das, I have been receiving life threats. I get regular threat calls and messages, but that will not deter me from performing my duty. I will continue to fight against the injustice meted out to Das and other Hindus."
Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested earlier this month from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while en route to Chattogram for a rally.
Denied bail, Das has been sent to jail until January 2 by a Bangladeshi court.
Ghosh believes the monk has been framed on false charges because of his efforts to unite the Hindu community.
"The monk's large public gatherings unnerved the administration. That is why fundamentalists and the interim government targeted him. Death will come one day, but I will continue the fight," Ghosh said.
Ghosh arrived in Barrackpore on Sunday evening, accompanied by his wife, for medical treatment and is staying with his son Rahul Ghosh, who has lived in the area for several years.
Ghosh, who is also the president of Bangladesh Minority Watch, an NGO advocating for minority rights, described a chaotic incident in the Chittagong court where around 40 lawyers created unrest and attempted to assault him physically.
"How can you frame all the Hindu lawyers who tried to represent Das with false cases? Is this not a travesty of justice? Fundamentalists are beating up lawyers, and the administration is silent. There is no guarantee that I won't be killed in the future for defending Das," he said.
Highlighting the plight of minorities in Bangladesh, Ghosh said the condition of the Hindu community has worsened since the interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, took charge.
"Under the previous regime, minorities faced attacks but the situation has now crossed all limits," he said.
On the occasion of Vijay Diwas, which marks the victory of Indian armed forces against Pakistan in the 1971 war and the formation of Bangladesh, Ghosh expressed deep disappointment with the current state of his country.
"I fought for the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, and I want to uphold those values. I am a muktijoddha, and it is really painful to see the present condition of my country. The interim government in Bangladesh has failed the minorities," he said.
Reflecting on the principles of the Liberation War, Ghosh said the ongoing atrocities against minorities go against the very ideals the war was fought for.
"The Liberation War was fought to establish equality and end the unequal treatment of East Pakistanis by West Pakistan. By denying minorities their rights and not allowing proper judicial assistance to Das, it seems the very purpose of establishing equality in Bangladesh stands defeated," he said.
Ghosh also underscored the role played by the Hindu minority in the Liberation War.
"Hindus made significant sacrifices during the Liberation War. They fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Muslims for an independent Bangladesh. Today, their contributions are forgotten, and they are treated as second-class citizens," he lamented.