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Bangladesh Jamaat leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Bangladesh Jamaat chief urges India to protect minorities after BJP forms govt in Bengal

| @indiablooms | May 09, 2026, at 06:32 pm

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday said he will urge the Indian government to ensure that no individual or community is targeted or harmed on the basis of religion, caste, or ethnicity.

He made the remark at a time when West Bengal witnessed a major political shift with the Bharatiya Janata Party winning the Assembly polls, paving way for the first government formation of the saffron brigade in the state.

Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Rahman said, “We will urge the Indian government to ensure that no harm is done by targeting any religion, caste or ethnic group.”

He emphasised that in India, a secular nation, no religion—including Islam—should be singled out or discriminated against.

“We will stand against oppression of innocent people anywhere in the world, including West Bengal. Wherever it happens, we will always stand by the oppressed,” he added.

His remarks came amid the formation of a new government in West Bengal under BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

The historic Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata witnessed a significant political transition on Saturday as Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as Chief Minister at a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Adhikari, often described as the “giant killer” for his high-profile electoral victories over former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in successive contests, became the first BJP leader to assume the office of Chief Minister in West Bengal.

West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi administered the oath of office amid loud cheers from a large gathering of supporters at the venue. The event marked a landmark moment in the state’s political history, as the BJP took charge in West Bengal for the first time after ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress, which had itself ended the 34-year Left Front regime in 2011.

Several ministers were also sworn in, including Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Khudiram Tudu, and Nisith Pramanik, as the new government formally took charge of the state.

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