Will BNP apologize? -The Asian Age

Imagine a group of people chanting communal and shameless slogans against the Father of the Nation Bangabadhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman or about anyone to be called sane. How would it look like if the so called protest in such tasteless and shameful way happens at an assembly in London attended by the Prime Minister? Don't get too exhausted pressuring your imagination too much as the bizarre incident in fact took place on April 21 while the Premier was at an event arranged by the Bangladeshi diaspora of United Kingdom.

The BNP-Jamaat supporters popped up with drums and screamed wildly. "Hare Krishna Hare Rama, Sheikh Hasinar Baaper Naam," they chanted in what was the most ugly and communal slogans which went against the basic foundation of Bangladesh.

A video on this unprecedented ugly protest went viral in the social media drawing flak from quarters at home and abroad. Soon after, Campaign for the Protection of Religious Minority in Bangladesh (CPRMB), a London-based organization came down hard on the demonstrators on Monday at a press conference. Lambasting the act, they demanded BNP acting chief Tarique Rahman and UK BNP boss MA Malek apologize for hurting religious sentiment.

Secular Bangladesh Movement UK spokesperson Puspita Gupta at the press conference said they were shocked hearing such "ugly slogans". Foreigners who follow Hinduism commute in London's West End, happily chanting 'Hare Krishna Hare Rama', a widely popular 'Maha Mantra'.

The situation on April 21 could turn into something "very bad" if the commuters were present there at that time, the press was told. "Such communal whim in UK may further instigate violence downgrading the condition of minority people in Bangladesh," Ajit Saha, one of the organizers of the press conference came up with.

The organizers said they would face the issue legally and would submit a memo to the British Prime Minister Theresa May. It is to be noted that UK has laws which advocate tougher punishment against those who propagate hate speech against any religion or issues.

-AA Correspondent