Chairman of Narayanhat union council, an Awami Leagu-nominated parishad, Harunur Rashid in Bangladesh was caught on camera asking a group of Tablig Jamaat men to convert local Hindus to Islam. The incident took place earlier this month, but the news came to light after footage from the video went viral.
In the 38-second video, Rashid is seen promising the men all his support, reported Dhaka Tribune. He said, “You move from place to place preaching Islam…You, the members of Tablig, have not been able to convert a single Hindu. Convert one or two and I will extend my all-out cooperation.”
Rashid, however, said the video that went viral was not the complete version and blamed his rival political parties for it. “The conversation actually took place for about 15 minutes. I have already held a meeting with the local minority people and they are not worried about it at all.”
After the video went viral, leaders of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council at Chittagong Press Club on Saturday demanded that Rashid be removed from his post within 72 hours and threatened to launch a movement. General Secretary of Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council Rana Dasgupta said, “Harunur Rashid should be removed as the union council chairman for instigating communal hatred. Legal actions must be taken against him for inflicting terror in the local minorities.”
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