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WASHINGTON, D.C., December 9, 2003: Bangladesh has taken some steps to protect its religious minorities but discrimination continues, particularly against Hindus, says a new report. It says communal violence and discrimination have displaced up to 20,000 Hindus in recent years, with the most serious violations occurring in 2001. Most Bangladeshi Hindus who seek refuge in India have received little support or protection. The governments of both Bangladesh and India must do a better job of dealing with these problems, says the report compiled by Refugees International, a Washington-based humanitarian organization. Religious minorities in Bangladesh face restrictions in areas such as access to jobs in the government or military, especially at higher levels. There is also a perception that police are often slow to assist members of religious minorities who have been victims of crime, the report says. Hindu rights groups in Bangladesh recently told Refugees International that they believe sexual violence against minority women was continuing in the country. The US Committee for Refugees estimated that by the end of 2001 between 5,000 and 20,000 Bangladeshi Hindus and other minorities had fled to India to escape Bangladesh’s post-election violence

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