 "How attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh is the first big test for Yunus-led interim government")
The attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina have become an international issue.
Protests were held over the weekend in the US and the UK including outside the Houses of Parliament.
Two high-profile Indian-American congressmen in the US last week have called on the new government to protect the community.
In Bangladesh too, rallies were held in several cities including the capital Dhaka and Chittagong with lakhs of people taking to the streets.
Hindus in Bangladesh have seen their homes, businesses and places of worship come under attack from mobs.
At least two Hindu leaders affiliated with Hasina’s Awami League party have been killed.
Let’s take a closer look at how this has become an international issue.
UK
As per News18, social media was rife with videos showing Hindus living in the UK protesting against the treatment of the community in Bangladesh.
On Saturday, a large crowd gathered outside the Houses of Parliament in London.
The demonstration included activists from various human rights organisations, members of the Bangladeshi diaspora, and Indian-American Hindu allies standing in solidarity with Bangladesh’s Hindu community.
Protesters carried Bangladeshi flags and held posters with messages such as “Protect our temples in Bangladesh,” “Hindu lives matter,” and “We want justice.”
They chanted slogans demanding peace and equality amidst the recent surge in violence.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe demonstration included activists from various human rights organisations, members of the Bangladeshi diaspora, and Indian-American Hindu allies standing in solidarity with Bangladesh’s Hindu community.
Unadi, a protester from Bangladesh, expressed concern over the helplessness of Bangladeshi Hindus, saying that the majority population prevents them from speaking out against injustices.
“Our country became independent in 1971 so that all communities could live peacefully. But now, we are suffering from atrocities committed by the majority community,” Unadi said.
He compared the situation in Bangladesh to other countries, noting that while governments around the world protect their minorities, the opposite is true in Bangladesh, forcing many to flee the country.
“The mentality of the people has to change so that we can live peacefully. In modern times like these, all communities must learn to coexist peacefully. We are all equals,” he added.
A protester from the Bengali Christian Association in the UK highlighted the need for equal treatment of all communities.
“I demand the interim government to amend the constitution, as it currently states that Bangladesh is a Muslim country. However, all communities fought for Bangladesh’s independence, so the country belongs to everyone,” she said.
Another protester pointed out that Bangladeshi minorities are being forced to flee due to ongoing atrocities by the majority community.
“We are gathered here because, for the past five to six days, people in Bangladesh have been torturing and burning our houses. They cannot take our country from us, and they cannot deport us. We want to live safely and peacefully in our country. The violence against minorities must stop,” he said.
Another protester shared that his home in Bangladesh had been looted and set on fire just days ago.
“My house was burned. A few days ago, many people looted our house,” he said.
US
The United States witnessed over 300 Indian Americans and Bangladeshi-origin Hindus protest in Houston.
The “Save Hindus in Bangladesh” rally was organised by the Global Voice for Bangladesh Minorities.
This is an umbrella organisation representing major Houston Hindu groups, including Maitri, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, HinduAction, HinduPact, Houston Durgabari Society, ISKCON, Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora.
Organisers called on the Biden Administration to take immediate and decisive action to prevent further atrocities and to protect vulnerable minority communities in Bangladesh.
Participants raised their placards bearing messages demanding an end to the violence and atrocities.
The crowd chanted “Stop Hindu Genocide,” “Stand Up and Speak Out Now,” “Hindu Lives Matter,” and “We Won’t Run, We Won’t Hide, Stop Hindu Genocide.”
The crowd quoted both Gandhi –“to forgive and accept injustice is cowardice” – and Martin Luther King Jr’s “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Achlesh Amar, one of the speakers representing VHP and HinduAction, said, “We strongly condemn the assault on the Hindu community for their pluralistic beliefs. We stand united in unwavering solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Bangladesh. We demand immediate action from the Bangladeshi government to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safety and security of all its citizens,
Amar also shared a heartfelt statement from Deepti Mahajan, co-convener of HinduPACT. “With the coup in Bangladesh, the 10 million Hindus are sitting on a ticking bomb of genocide.”
“Reports from within Bangladesh reveal unimaginable torture, killings, and the burning of Hindu temples, alongside harrowing stories of women subjected to unspeakable abuse. This instability poses a grave danger not only to Hindus but also to the very foundations of democracy in countries like India and the US. It is an inevitable threat to Hindus in Pakistan as well. We need the eyes and ears of all Western nations focused on this crisis in Asia, and we demand safety for all minorities in Bangladesh!”
A Bangladeshi-origin American woman said, “The horrific acts of violence back home are devastating. When we call home and hear about these brutal acts every single day, it tears us apart. So many innocent lives have been lost! Places of worship have been burned or vandalised, and women have been horrifically abused. This must stop now! We cannot stand idly by while our people suffer!”
Protests also gathered outside the United Nations headquarters, according to videos shared by HinduACTION on X.
Protest outside White House
On Friday, a number of people gathered outside the White House in Washington to make their voices heard.
Protesters carried American and Bangladeshi flags and held posters demanding that Bangladeshi minorities be saved.
They chanted “we want justice” and called for peace amid the recent surge in violence.
The crowd, which included activists from various human rights organisations, members of the Bangladeshi diaspora and Indian-American Hindu allies, came from Washington, Maryland, Virginia, and New York.
Protesters sought the intervention of Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist who assumed leadership of a caretaker administration on Thursday.
Shubho Roy, a Bangladeshi Hindu with family in Bangladesh, expressed anxiety over the situation and called for a permanent solution to ensure the dignity and safety of minorities in Bangladesh. “We need a permanent solution so that Hindus and other minorities can live with dignity in Bangladesh,” Roy told ANI.
He highlighted the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh who had fled their homeland after enduring years of systematic violence, discrimination, and repression. Now, they stood before the symbol of American power, demanding that the world take notice of the atrocities they had left behind. “We were pushed away from Mahabharat (India), Akhil Bharat, Akhand Bharat. We were never a part of Pakistan. We were framed and pushed away from India,” Roy added.
Priyadarshani Saha, one of the protesters, urged US lawmakers to advocate for Bangladeshi minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and other indigenous groups. “The Biden administration had the ability to make a difference, to influence the Bangladeshi interim government, and to pressure the international community to take action,” Saha said.
Signs at the protest included messages such as “End Religious Persecution in Bangladesh” and “Protect Minority Rights,” with chants demanding justice and international intervention.
Mahendra Sapa from Vishwa Hindu Parishad America stood in solidarity with the Bangladeshi diaspora, urging the State Department and White House to learn from the 1971 genocide and prevent a repeat of such atrocities.
“We strongly urge the State Department and White House to have lessons learned from the 1971 genocide and make sure that those mistakes are not repeated,” Sapa told ANI.
“The office of the United Nations Secretary-General has said the violence in Bangladesh should be “tamped down”, adding it stands against any “racially based attacks” or “racially based incitement to violence,” he added.
Lawmakers call to end violence
Two prominent Indian-American lawmakers last week called for an immediate end to the ongoing brutal violence against the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
The Congressmen also urged Yunus to uphold the rule of law.
The remarks by two influential Congressmen came after scores of Hindu American groups met State Department officials amidst the spike in crime against the minority Hindu community and the destruction of Hindu temples in Bangladesh.
They also said the failure of Congress and the administration to acknowledge and condemn the violence against Hindus and other religious minorities is unacceptable.
“Bangladeshi students had just human rights concerns against PM Hasina. It’s good she is gone. But the violence now targeting Hindus is wrong. PM Yunus must uphold the rule of law & prevent the targeting of temples or people of any political party or faith from violence,” Ro Khanna, Congressman said in a post on X on Thursday.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said, “As Bangladesh prepares to swear in its interim government, I urge all government officials, the new administration and police chief, and the people of Bangladesh to do all they can to end the violence that has emerged across the country, including the brutal targeting of the country’s Hindu minority, their homes, businesses, and their temples.” “The violence must stop and those responsible must be brought to justice to help the people of Bangladesh move forward as a nation. I will continue to closely monitor developments in Bangladesh in coordination with the US State Department,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Hindu American Foundation director of Policy Research Anita Joshi, Utsav Chakrabarti of HinduAction, Human Rights Collective for Bangladesh Minorities Executive Director Priya Saha, and geopolitical analyst Jay Kansara met with the US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom (IRF) Rashad Hussein at the US State Department in Washington, DC.
Urging US government action, the group briefed Hussein on the violence directed at Hindus and other religious minorities throughout Bangladesh, sharing documented incidents against Hindus and Hindu temples over 48 hours after Hasina left the country amidst civil unrest.
“The failure of Congress and this administration to acknowledge and condemn the violence against Hindus and other religious minorities is unacceptable,” Joshi said.
“The situation on the ground in Bangladesh is urgent and dire. We implore the State Department to use its clout and resources to put an end to this rampant violence against religious minorities, violence rooted in decades of mistrust and maltreatment of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority,” she said.
In a separate statement, the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) urged the US President, State Department, IRF Ambassador, and presidential candidates to take immediate action to ensure peace is re-established in Bangladesh and that “minorities are protected, preventing another potential Hindu Genocide.” FIIDS also urged the United Nations to deploy observers and peacekeeping forces to contain the situation on the ground in Bangladesh and ensure the protection of vulnerable communities.
It made similar appeals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Since Hasina fled the country on Monday, media reports from Bangladesh have flagged more and more cases of violence against minorities, including the massive vandalism and destruction at popular folk band Joler Gaan’s frontman Rahul Ananda’s residence on Monday prompting the singer and his family to go into hiding.
However, Hindus aren’t the only ones targeted.
At least 232 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government on Monday, taking the death toll to 560 since the anti-quota protests first started in mid-July.
The US last week expressed deep concern about the continued violence in Bangladesh including attacks on members of religious or political groups, and said it will be vital for the new government to credibly investigate all such instances and provide justice to victims.
“We are deeply concerned about continued reports of violence in Bangladesh – including violence directed at members of religious or political groups. We are equally concerned about reports of violence against police and law enforcement,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh too has witnessed lakhs of Hindus take to the streets to protest.
As per NDTV, Dhaka and Chittagong saw lakhs of people in attendance at the rallies.
The protesters halted traffic for over three hours in central Dhaka’s Shahbagh.
They were supported by thousands of Muslims including students.
Chittagong saw a massive crowd at the historic Cheragi Pahar Square.
The outlet quoted local media as reporting that over seven lakh people attended the rallies.
They shouted slogans such as “Save the Hindus,” “Why are my temples and homes being looted? We want answers,” “Hindu persecution in independent Bangladesh, it will not continue,” “Religion is for individuals, the state is for everyone,” and “Ensure the safety of Hindus”.
They warned that they will protest non-stop if immediate action is not taken to protect the community.
As per The Times of India, protesters demanded the apprehension of those perpetrating and compensation.
They also demanded the formation of a ministry for minorities, the establishment of a minority protection commission, the enactment and implementation of strict laws to prevent all forms of attacks on minorities, and the allocation of 10 per cent of parliamentary seats for minorities.
“We are appalled by the attacks on Hindus, the torture and the vandalism of temples. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure our safety. We are citizens of this country and deserve to live securely,” the Dhaka Tribune quoted a Hindu speaker as saying at a rally in Bogra.
What is the Bangladesh government doing?
As per the Dhaka Tribune, the advisory council of the interim government has decided to bear the medical costs of injured protesters. The government will also give ex-gratia to the families of those that died in the processed.
The council said it will also examine the supply of essential goods as well tackle the attacks on religious minorities.
As per Al Jazeera, the Cabinet on Sunday in its first official statement said, “The attacks on religious minorities in some places have been noted with grave concern.”
The cabinet said it would “immediately sit with the representative bodies and other concerned groups to find ways to resolve such heinous attacks”.
PTI reported Bangladesh’s interim government on Sunday warned the media it risked being shut down if any false or misleading news is published.
Home Affairs Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain was quoted as saying: “A country deteriorates when the media fails to report honestly.”
Yunus on Saturday condemned attacks on the minority communities in the violence-hit nation, terming them as “heinous”, and urged the youth to protect all Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families from harm.
Members of minority communities in Bangladesh faced at least 205 incidents of attacks in 52 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, according to two Hindu organisations — Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad — in the country.
Thousands of Bangladeshi Hindus have been trying to flee to neighbouring India to escape the violence.
Yunus, a Nobel laureate, cautioned them not to let their efforts be sabotaged by those seeking to undermine their progress, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
“There are many standing by to make your efforts futile. Don’t fail this time,” he said while addressing the students at the Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur city.
Yunus unequivocally condemned the attacks on minority communities in the country, calling the acts “heinous.”
He urged the students to protect all Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families from harm.
“Are they not the people of this country? You have been able to save the country; can’t you save some families?…You must say — no one can harm them. They are my brothers; we fought together, and we will stay together,” he asserted, underscoring the need for national unity.
Stressing the importance of youth leadership, Yunus said, “This Bangladesh, is now in your hands. You have the power to take it wherever you want. This isn’t a matter of research — it’s a power within you.” He also urged the people of Bangladesh to emulate the way student activist Abu Sayed stood valiantly during the anti-government demonstrations that led to the toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government.
With inputs from agencies
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