Sydney, 24 March 2025: The persecuted minorities in Bangladesh have been assured of the necessary and possible support from Hon Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, and Hon Andrew Charlton, Federal Member for Parramatta.
The leaders also reiterated Labor’s unwavering commitment to protect and assist the ethnic and religious minorities in Bangladesh, the Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and ethnic minorities, who are being subjected to inhuman atrocities in Bangladesh.
Minister Bowen and MP Charlton expressed their concerns and provided the above assurance yesterday, Sunday, 23 March, whilst addressing a meeting convened by the Australian Federation for Ethnic and Religious Minorities in Bangladesh (AFERMB) at the Allan G Ezzy Community Centre in Pemulwuy, a suburb of western Sydney, NSW. Several hundred members along with their families and community leaders of the Bangladeshi community were present.
The discussion started with a thorough brief on the context by Dr Swapan Paul, a member of AFERMB, after a warm welcome by Apu Saha, the Secretary of the AFERMB executive committee.
Mr Dilip Dutta, another member of AFERMB, submitted a list of appeals to the leaders on behalf of the community. The meeting was moderated by Suman Saha, a (Labor) Councilor of western Sydney’s Cumberland City Council.
Two of the victims of the recent atrocities in Bangladesh, Tanushree Roy and Nirmalya Chakraborty, spoke as witnesses to the traumatic ordeal that they had endured since the Islamic fundamentalists took over the state power on 5 August 2024.
Minister Bowen and MP Charlton also responded to the queries and suggestions from the meeting participants where they urged the Australian government to find more avenues to help these affected minorities.
The ministers provided concrete assurances across multiple fronts, committing to closer engagement with affected communities to better understand their needs and deliver targeted support. They pledged prioritised assistance for immigration cases, particularly expediting pending applications from persecuted minorities, while exploring expanded humanitarian visa options. Emphasis was placed on fostering social cohesion through sustained community partnerships and elevating these issues to Australia’s highest political levels – including securing formal statements from Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Post-election plans involve collaborating with the Department of Home Affairs through a dedicated seminar. The gathering concluded with AFERMB Executive Committee President Surajit Roy delivering formal closing remarks.
