Status of Minorities in Bangladesh in 2009

Despite the long history of accommodation and tolerance of diversity and multiculturalism that constituted a previous generation of Bengali culture and nationalism, it is evident that in Bangladesh public and political culture appears increasingly priorities the interests of the religious majority which thus marginalizes minority religious and other cultural groups (Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, indigenous people). For instance, an undercounting of minorities and indigenous people has been reported in the national census. The challenge for progressive groups is to transform this political culture and promote multiculturalism and pluralism. URL: [http://www.southasianrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Bangladesh.pdf]