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Bangladesh Politics: PM Tarique Rahman compares Sheikh Hasina to ‘Kansa’, assures Hindus of equal rights and security

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Alam Ki Khabar | Bihar News | Patna News | Samastipur News | Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman compared Sheikh Hasina’s rule to a ‘Kansa-like’ regime and assured the Hindu community of equal rights and security.

Dhaka, September 3. Alam Ki Khabar: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has intensified his political attack on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by drawing a comparison between her long rule and the mythological King Kansa of Mathura. Rahman made the remarks while addressing a Janmashtami programme organised in Dhaka for members of the Hindu community.

The programme was jointly organised by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. Hindu community representatives, religious leaders, priests, sebaits and other prominent citizens attended the event. Rahman also distributed honorariums to priests and sebaits.

Rahman did not directly name Sheikh Hasina while making the comparison. Instead, referring to the traditional story of Lord Krishna and Kansa, he spoke about a ruler who, according to him, had deprived the people of their democratic rights for more than one and a half decades.

‘Kansa-like’ ruler reference sparks political attention

While explaining the significance of Janmashtami, Tarique Rahman referred to the traditional account of Lord Krishna’s birth in Mathura during the rule of the tyrannical King Kansa.

He then linked the story with Bangladesh’s recent political history, saying that the country had also witnessed a cruel ruler who deprived people of their rights for more than 15 years.

Although Sheikh Hasina was not named, the reference was widely understood as being directed at her long tenure in power. Rahman said people from different political, religious and social backgrounds had united against what he described as a “Kansa-like” authoritarian rule.

Rahman further said that Bangladesh had now entered a new phase of its democratic journey and that the focus should be on rebuilding the country, improving the economy, strengthening administration and restoring law and order.

Message to Bangladesh’s Hindu community

Alongside his political criticism of the previous government, the prime minister used the Janmashtami platform to send a message of equality and security to Bangladesh’s Hindu population.

Rahman urged people not to divide citizens into majority and minority categories. Instead, he called for everyone to see themselves primarily as Bangladeshis.

He said citizens of all faiths should enjoy equal rights and security and stressed that people must have the freedom to follow their respective religions and cultures.

The prime minister also appealed to the Hindu community to celebrate Janmashtami and the upcoming Durga Puja peacefully and without fear. He warned against attempts to create communal tension and urged people to remain alert to rumours and efforts aimed at disturbing social harmony.

‘Religion is personal, state belongs to everyone’

In his message to the Hindu community, Rahman emphasised that religious identity should not become a reason for discrimination.

According to his remarks, religion is an individual matter, while the state belongs equally to all citizens. He said every person should have the right to practise their faith and should also receive security from the state.

Rahman argued that Bangladesh’s diversity should be seen as a strength rather than a source of division. He called for greater tolerance, mutual respect and communal harmony.

Janmashtami celebrations amid security concerns

The prime minister’s appeal comes at a time when the safety of religious minorities remains a sensitive issue in Bangladesh. Concerns over attacks, communal tension and law-and-order problems have continued to feature in discussions surrounding the country’s Hindu community.

However, claims about the exact scale of violence and the number of attacks need to be assessed carefully on the basis of verified records. Rather than repeating unverified figures, the current focus at the government level has been on maintaining communal harmony and ensuring security during religious festivals.

Rahman specifically urged citizens to remain vigilant against rumours and attempts to provoke communal hatred through social media.

Priests and sebaits receive honorariums

The Dhaka event was not limited to political remarks. Honorariums were distributed among priests and sebaits as part of the programme.

According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the honorarium was also sent electronically to priests and sebaits in different parts of the country. The programme was attended by leading representatives of the Hindu community as well as religious and social figures.

Government promises protection during festivals

With Janmashtami scheduled to be observed across Bangladesh on September 4, the government has placed emphasis on maintaining a peaceful environment during the festival.

Rahman said people of different religions and beliefs have historically lived together in Bangladesh and called for that tradition to continue. He also extended advance greetings to the Hindu community for Durga Puja and asked citizens to ensure that religious celebrations take place in a peaceful atmosphere.

Political message hidden inside a religious event

The speech carried both a religious and political message. By invoking the story of Krishna and Kansa, Rahman connected the symbolism of good defeating evil with his interpretation of Bangladesh’s recent political transition.

The prime minister’s remarks also underline the continuing political divide between his government and Sheikh Hasina, whose long tenure remains one of the most contentious chapters in Bangladesh’s recent political history.

For Rahman, the reference to Kansa served as a political metaphor for what he described as the denial of democratic rights under the previous regime. For the Hindu community, however, the more immediate message was his assurance that religious identity would not determine a citizen’s rights or security.

What lies ahead?

The immediate test for the government will be whether its assurances translate into a peaceful environment for religious minorities during Janmashtami and the upcoming Durga Puja.

The government’s emphasis on equal citizenship, communal harmony and protection of religious rights is significant, particularly because minority safety remains a politically sensitive issue in Bangladesh.

For now, Tarique Rahman’s Kansa reference has added a new political dimension to the Janmashtami discourse, while his appeal to Hindus to celebrate their festivals without fear has placed the government’s commitment to minority security under renewed public scrutiny.

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EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS

Tarique Rahman’s decision to invoke the story of Krishna and Kansa at a Janmashtami event is politically significant. He did not name Sheikh Hasina, but his reference to a ruler who allegedly denied democratic rights for more than 15 years leaves little ambiguity about the political target of his remarks.

At the same time, the prime minister’s message to the Hindu community carries importance beyond political rhetoric. Bangladesh’s minorities have repeatedly raised concerns about security and protection, making government assurances during major religious festivals particularly important.

The real measure of such assurances will not be the words spoken from a podium but the conditions on the ground. If Janmashtami and Durga Puja pass peacefully, it will strengthen the government’s claim that it is serious about communal harmony. If incidents of violence or intimidation occur, questions about the effectiveness of the government’s security commitments will inevitably return.

The Kansa comparison may generate political headlines, but the larger issue is whether Bangladesh can build a system in which religious identity does not determine a citizen’s safety or rights. That is ultimately the standard by which any government’s minority policy should be judged.

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