Can Muhammad Yunus ensure Bangladesh's 'liberation' isn't a tragedy for its Hindu minority?

Bangladeshi Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been named the chief adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh as announced by the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on Tuesday. Yunus, celebrated globally for his pioneering work in microfinance, faces a daunting task: guiding a nation fraught with political unrest and religious tension.

Yunus has criticised the political climate under Sheikh Hasina’s rule comparing it to an authoritarian regime where citizens felt oppressed. In his view, the ousting of Hasina’s government marks a new dawn for Bangladesh, bringing a sense of liberation. However, this newfound freedom has been marred by violence, particularly against minority Hindus, revealing deep-seated societal fissures that require immediate attention.

While Yunus has spoken of liberation in an interview with The Print, he must recognise that true freedom cannot exist amid lawlessness. His leadership should focus on halting violence against Hindus, restoring their dignity and ensuring their security and equal rights. This is critical, as the recent political upheaval has emboldened extremist factions, exacerbating the plight of Hindus who have long faced persecution in Bangladesh.

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This advisory role becomes even more critical in light of the fact that, while Hasina’s government did not fully ensure the safety of the Hindu community, her ouster has significantly worsened their situation. The ensuing political upheaval has emboldened Islamist extremists, leading to violence reminiscent of the October 2013 unrest. This recent outbreak against Hindus highlights a deepening crisis as the country grapples with instability. With Yunus at the helm of the interim government, he is in a unique position to address these challenges and work towards fostering an environment of peace and equality for all communities in Bangladesh.

Breakdown of law and order

Reports from various regions paint a dire picture. Hindu homes are systematically targeted, set on fire and looted, while women face abductions. This reflects a total breakdown of law and order with the administration seemingly unable or unwilling to protect its Hindu citizens from escalating violence.

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One of the most egregious incidents occurred at an ISKCON centre in Meherpur, Khulna Division, where attackers reportedly set fire to the premises, including sacred deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi. Miraculously, three devotees managed to escape, but the attack has left a lasting scar on the community. Such assaults on religious institutions are frequent, with many Hindu temples, including those dedicated to ISKCON and the Kali temple, being targeted.

Eyewitness accounts and ground reality

Videos and eyewitness accounts corroborate the scale and brutality of these atrocities. The attackers exhibit a blatant disregard for human life terrorising civilians left without protection. The Hindu populace is forced to fend for themselves amid growing hostility and fear.

The targeting of women adds another layer of horror. Eyewitnesses report numerous instances of women being abducted and taken to undisclosed locations, further traumatising families already facing violence and displacement. This targeted violence is part of a broader campaign aimed at demoralising and destabilising the Hindu community.

The absence of a decisive government response has only emboldened the perpetrators. The lack of intervention has exacerbated the crisis, leaving the Hindu community in a perpetual state of fear for their lives and safety. Reports indicate a systematic assault on Hindu communities and religious sites, signalling a tipping point.

Amid this turmoil, the international community’s attention is crucial. The crisis highlights the vulnerability of religious minorities in politically unstable regions and raises questions about the future of secularism and tolerance in Bangladesh. Without intervention, the safety and security of the Hindu community remain precarious with potential long-term ramifications for Bangladesh’s social fabric.

In Bangladesh, the plight of Hindus has been a matter of significant concern for many years. Despite being the second-largest religious group in the country, Hindus often face a range of challenges, including discrimination, violence and marginalisation. The history of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh is both tragic and complex, marked by periods of intense violence, forced conversions and systemic discrimination. These incidents underscore the vulnerability of minority communities in a country where religious identity can often become a basis for targeted aggression.

Historical context

The Hindu community in Bangladesh traces its roots back thousands of years and has played a significant role in the region’s cultural and historical development. However, the partition of India in 1947 and the subsequent creation of Pakistan, which included present-day Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), marked the beginning of a difficult era for Hindus. The partition itself was accompanied by widespread communal violence, which saw thousands of Hindus displaced or killed. The situation worsened during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, where the Pakistani military and its collaborators carried out mass atrocities against Bengali Hindus, resulting in an estimated 2.4 million Hindu deaths. This dark chapter in history left a lasting scar on the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, Hindus have continued to face persecution in various forms. Reports of attacks on Hindu temples, properties and individuals have been alarmingly frequent. These incidents often peak during religious festivals or political unrest, indicating a targeted approach to intimidate and oppress the minority community. The destruction of temples, desecration of idols and arson attacks on Hindu homes have become distressingly common. In many cases, these acts of violence are fuelled by land-grabbing motives, where Hindu properties are forcibly taken over by influential groups with little to no legal repercussions.

For instance, during the nationwide anti-Hindu violence in 2013, numerous Hindu villages were attacked. Homes were burned, temples were vandalised and many Hindus were left homeless. Similar incidents were reported during the communal violence in October 2021, where over 70 Hindu temples were vandalised across Bangladesh following false rumours of the desecration of the Quran. There were falsified images of a copy of the Quran in the lap of Lord Hanuman’s idol at a Durga Puja pandal in Comilla district were circulated over the internet by Jamaat-e-Islami members which resulted in massive violence against the Hindus.

Social and political discrimination

Beyond physical violence, Hindus in Bangladesh face systemic discrimination in various aspects of life, including education, employment and political representation. Many Hindu families feel pressured to leave their ancestral homes due to threats and harassment leading to a significant decline in the Hindu population over the decades. The community’s political representation remains disproportionately low, limiting their influence in addressing their grievances and advocating for their rights.

The Vested Property Act, originally enacted as the Enemy Property Act in 1965, is one of the most significant legal challenges faced by Hindus. This law allowed the government to confiscate properties deemed “enemy property,” primarily targeting Hindus who fled to India during times of communal strife. Despite reforms, the legacy of this act continues to affect many Hindu families, who struggle to reclaim their ancestral properties.

Dwindling Hindu population in Bangladesh

The latest census conducted in 2022 highlighted a concerning trend in Bangladesh: a continued decline in the population of minority religions. According to the census, the Hindu population now constitutes 7.95 per cent of the total population. This marks a decrease from the 8.54 per cent recorded in the 2011 census, reflecting a persistent downward trajectory over the past decade.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics report further revealed that Khulna Division experienced the most pronounced decline in the Hindu population, with a reduction of 1.33 per cent over the past decade. Historically, the proportion of Hindus in Bangladesh has witnessed a steep decline. Prior to the partition in 1941, Hindus made up approximately 28 per cent of the population. This percentage drastically fell to 8.5 per cent by 2011. The reduction in Hindu demographic share is indicative of complex socio-political dynamics that have influenced population patterns over the decades.

The annual report published by the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote in 2020 presented alarming statistics on violence and persecution against Hindus. Between 2015 and 2020, there was a significant rise in the number of incidents involving Hindus being killed, injured, abducted converted and raped. This trend of increasing violence not only impacts the physical security of the Hindu community but also contributes to their declining numbers as many are forced to flee or convert due to socio-political pressures.

The political landscape in Bangladesh has often been challenging for minority groups. Systematic persecution including forced conversions and destruction of religious sites further marginalises minority communities and discourages them from maintaining their religious identities.

The historical context of religious demographics in Bangladesh reveals a long-term trend of declining Hindu populations. This decline is not merely a statistical anomaly but a reflection of the socio-political and cultural challenges faced by the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Yunus’s crucial test

While Yunus’s reputation and vision for a more liberated Bangladesh offer hope, the current crisis facing the Hindu community presents an immediate and grave challenge. As Yunus steps into his role, his success will hinge on his ability to address these critical issues with both strategic acumen and a deep commitment to justice and equality.