Hindu Dissident Calls For Bangladesh To Establish Diplomatic Relations With Israel

After Bangladesh removed the Israel travel ban from their passports only to claim that it changes nothing, Ali Riaz, a political science professor at Illinois State University, told DW that “a person who can secure a visa to visit Israel cannot be stopped or prosecuted for the trip. There is no known law that will preclude one to visit. However, whether the government uses other laws to prosecute and deter people from traveling to Israel is different altogether.”

Shipan Kumer Basu, who heads the World Hindu Struggle Committee, called upon Bangladesh to establish diplomatic relations with the State of Israel in the spirit of the Abraham Accords: “Bangladesh should establish a relationship with Israel, just like Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain did.  In fact, not only Bangladesh but all Muslim countries should establish a good relationship with Israel.”

“Jerusalem is a holy place for both Muslims and Jews,” Basu explained. “By having a positive relationship with Israel, then all devout Muslims can visit the Al Aqsa Mosque. Furthermore, peace can never be established by spreading violence. Therefore, we should all aim to avoid violence and create a brotherhood among Jews, Druze, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and members of all other faiths. Then, there will be an era of peace across the globe.”

According to Basu, the Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other small ethnic groups in Bangladesh are not hostile towards Israel: “The main issue was the Muslims. But, with the lifting of the travel ban to Israel on the passport, this sends a clear message, even though the government later on claimed it does not change anything. It has highlighted that now the Muslims of Bangladesh want also a good relationship with Israel and not just the minorities.”