United States Congressman Jim Banks has placed a resolution in the House of Representatives expressing concern about the threat posed to democracy and the democratic process by theocratic groups operating in Bangladesh.
The resolution, placed on November 20, also called on the government of Bangladesh to stop radical organizations, such as Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and Hefazat-e-Islam, who pose an ongoing threat to the country’s stability and secular democracy.
The resolution submitted by Banks was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
On January 3, 2017, Congressman Banks began representing Indiana’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Banks currently serves on the House Armed Services; Veterans Affairs; and Education and the Workforce Committees. The resolution called on the United States Agency for International Development and the State Department to halt all partnerships and funding arrangements with groups affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and Hefazat-e-Islam. It called on the government of Bangladesh to heed the Bangladesh Election Commission’s request to ensure security for minorities and maintain communal harmony for a peaceful election.
