As the news of Sheikh Hasina‘s resignation spread across Bangladesh, houses, places of worship, and business establishments belonging to the Hindus were attacked around the country. Hindu temples were targeted in Natore, Dhamrai in Dhaka, Kalapara in Patuakhali, Shariatpur, and Faridpur, as well as houses in Jessore, Noakhali, Meherpur, Chandpur, and Khulna. Dinajpur saw the vandalisation of 40 Hindu shops. In addition, one Ahmadiyya mosque in Taraganj, Rangpur, was attacked and vandalised.
In Jashore (also spelled Jessore) district, 10 Hindu houses in Dhopaidi Palpara village of Abhayanagar were burnt. 22 shops including the warehouse of Babul Saha vandalised and looted in Narikel Bariya of Bagharpara, and 8 minority homes were attacked in Keshabpur, Bechpara and Barmanpara. Raksha Kali Temple was looted and burnt in Sadar Upazila.
According to eyewitnesses and homeowners, over a hundred people attacked at least 25 shops in Narikelbaria market in Bagharpara upazila yesterday afternoon. Of these stores, 20 were owned by Hindus. The attackers stormed the shop and pillaged the goods.
Muslim mobs looted Hindu houses, stole cattle and jewellery, demanded money to spare their lives
On the evening of 6th August, the Narikelbaria Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Bablu Kumar Saha’s house in Bagharpara Upazila was attacked and vandalised by a Muslim mob. Then, at night, ten to twelve persons entered Liton Kundu’s residence in Narikelbaria village, armed with ramda (a sharp weapon) and countrymade weapons. They held the residents of the house captive at gunpoint and stole three bags of gold jewellery and 2700 Bangladeshi Taka. Similarly, one Shimul Saha’s house in the same village was targeted and vandalised this morning. At the time, they demanded one lakh rupees from the residents of the house. Later, they went to Narikelbaria market and vandalised at least three Hindu stores.
A group of 10 to 12 people attacked the Hindupara of Shalbrat village of the upazila where 65 Hindu families resided. The Muslim attackers were carrying sharp weapons and wrapped black cloth around their faces. They demanded money from the Hindus after storming into their houses. As an old man failed to pay them, the Muslim attackers assaulted him. They also took away cows and goats from Hindu houses. Similar incidents were reported in the Sekanderpur area.
From Tuesday evening to early morning, 20 to 25 Hindu homes in five villages of Dhalgram Union, Bagharpara Upazila, were attacked and plundered in four rounds.
A Muslim stormed and vandalised former Dhalgram UP chairman Subhash Debnath’s house in Manikdwa village. At this time, they took two cows from the cowshed. Later, a mob attacked Dipankar Biswas’ house in Andharkota village, vandalising it four times. Four cows, 25 ducks, 15 chickens, 40 duck eggs, two sacks of rice, and an electric motor were stolen from the residence. The attackers demanded Tk 1 lakh, however, upon not getting money they set the Hindu house ablaze by pouring petrol. The Hindu family saved their lives by giving Tk 50,000.
Similar attacks were unleashed on Hindu houses and shops in Sultannagar, Monirampur and Khatuadanga market. According to a World Hindu Federation (Bangladesh Chapter) press release, in Monirampur upazila of Jashore district 2 Kali temples and 1 Durga temple were burnt. 13 Hindu-owned shops and 17 Hindu houses were looted and vandalized.
On Tuesday afternoon, a Muslim mob invaded the home of Monishankar Roy of Barandi village, a member of Ward No. 6 of Payra UP in Abhaynagar Upazila, vandalising and stealing cash and gold ornaments. According to Monishankar Roy, the attackers entered the residence by using an axe to hack through the grill. In addition to vandalism, the attackers stole four lakh rupees in cash and seven pieces of gold jewellery.
In the evening, the attackers vandalised and set fire to the home of Payra UP former chairman Bishnupad Dutta in Barandi village. Later, they attacked and vandalised the residences of Robin Biswas, Yudhisthira Biswas, and Mohen Bairagi in Barandi village. The attackers stole gold jewellery and other goods from Hindu houses in Abhaynagar upazila.
In Noakhali’s Hatiya, three houses and four shops of the Hindus were attacked, vandalized and plundered. Among the houses attacked, one belonged to Upazila Hindu Parishad leader Sahdev Saha in Somadia. In addition, women were also asaulted. The Hindus informed the Hatiya Police Station, however, nobody came to their rescue. Similar attacks on Hindu houses in Sahapara were also reported. The BNP and Jamat-e-Islami members alongside other Muslim mobs were involved in the attacks.
In Dhaka’s Dhamrai, a mob comprising 100 to 150 people marched and attacked the house of local Meena Rani Das in the Barbaria area of Gangutia Union, Dhamrai, Dhaka. The mob vandalised the house and tried to attack a Durga Temple, however, they could not break the lock. In Patuakhali Kuakata Municipal Awami League Joint General Secretary Anant Mukherjee’s residence and a local Hindu temple were attacked. Amidst the attacks on Hindus, both the BNP and JeI as well as the Awami League are shifting blame on each other.
In Lalpur in Natore, around six houses including the house of the Puja Udyapan Parishad president and a temple were vandalised and plundered. As per a Prothom Alo report, the mob attacked the house of Upazila Puja Udyapan Parishad president and school teacher Dwipendranath Saha yesterday around 7:30 pm. Later, the mob attacked the houses of Saha’s brother Naresh Chandra Saha and neighbour Shimul Sarkar. From cash, jewellery, phones and laptops to rice sacks, the mob looted whatever they found.
The attackers also vandalised the Jotdaivaki Shiva and Kali temples and broke eight CCTV cameras. The houses of college teachers Dvigendranath Pal and Ranendranath Pal were attacked in Palpara of Madhavpur upazila. The attackers injured Pal’s hand with sharp weapons. In Bhatpara village, a retired Hindu school teacher Kartik Chandra was also assaulted.
On Monday, 9 houses of Hindus were attacked in Meherpur, including the house of an Awami League leader. In Meherpur, ISKCON mandir was attacked, vandalized and looted. 1 Kali temple and 2 Durga temples were looted and vandalized. More than 10 Hindu houses and 8/9 Hindu-owned shops were looted and burnt. 2 Hindu girls were kidnapped.
As reported earlier, Meherpur ISKCON spokesperson Yudhisthir Govinda Das said, “As per the info I have received, one of our ISKCON centres (rented) in Meherpur was burnt including with the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi. Three devotees who lived in the centre somehow managed to escape & survived.”
On Tuesday, the house of Pallab Bhattacharya, a resident of the Hotel Bazar area of the city and District Awami League Legal Affairs Secretary, was set on fire. A mob attacked Pallava Bhattacharya’s house with sticks, rods and iron pipes.
In Dinajpur, at least 40 Hindu-owned shops were vandalised and robbed in the Chowrangi market of the Isania Union of Bochaganj Upazila. On Monday afternoon, at least 100 people entered the market and staged an attack. Later, as they approached Sahaspur village near the market, the residents of the minority community stopped them. They later threatened to leave the residence and departed.
As per the World Hindu Federation’s estimates, in Dinajpur, the Fulthala cremation ground was forcefully occupied. Five temples including Kali Mandir in Parbatipur were vandalised. 7 minority community houses were attacked and looted in Setabganj Bochakganj and Dhalla village of Chirirbandar Thana area.
In Chandpur, the Muslim mob attacked the house of Puranbazar Degree College Principal Ratan Kumar Majumdar in the city’s Adalt Para and the house of Gallak Adarsh Degree College Principal Haripad Das in Faridganj was attacked, vandalized, looted and set ablaze.
In Shariatpur, a temple in Dhanuka Mansa house was attacked. The Muslim mob broke the idol of Lord Krishna and fled the spot after the army personnel arrived. Other than this, the house of journalist Dulal Saha in the Sadar upazila was attacked, vandalized, and looted. One Durga temple in the Sadar was vandalized. Other than this, 7 to 8 Hindu houses were attacked and looted.
Similarly, in Khulna 11 Hindu houses were attacked in different unions of Dakop Upazila in Khulna. “The houses of Shyamal Kumar Das and Swajan Kumar Das in Highgate village of Rupsa Thana area, 1 unidentified Hindu (approx. 50 years) was killed. The houses of Biman Bihari Amit, president of the Khulna District Unity Council and Animesh Sarkar Rinku, president of the Youth Unity Council in Tootpara of Khulna city, house of Jayanta Gain in Amtali Banisanta, Dacope, and houses of the minority community in Darpara, Koyra and other 7 houses were attacked, vandalised and looted. 2 Durga temples were vandalized and looted,” WHF reported.
“There was an attack on the house of Kamarkhola UP chairman Panchanan Kumar Mandal of Vitabhanga village. Former chairman of Tildanga UP, Ranjit Kumar Mandal of Kaminibasia village, general secretary of Tildanga Union Awami League Nitya Ranjan Kaviraj, resident of Botbunia village, Pankaj Kabiraj of Botbunia village, Ranjit Mandal, resident of Tildanga Madhyapara village, Suranjan Mandal of Tildanga Vadalbunia village were attacked and vandalised,” Prothom Alo reported.
On the evening of 6th August, Hindu houses and businesses were attacked and vandalised in Madhukhali and Sadarpur of Faridpur. In multiple attacks, several Hindu-owned medical stores and garment shops were looted by the assailants. In Rangpur and some other areas, the places of worship of the Ahmadiyyas were also attacked.
According to the World Hindu Federation, “in Thakurgaon, the house of Sahadev Roy in Sonadia, Hatiya, Noakhali, was attacked and looted. Other 8/9 Hindu houses in the Sadar upazila were attacked, vandalised, and looted. Additionally, in ward 2 of Pirganj, the cremation temple was attacked and burnt. 1 Durga temple and 1 Kali temple were burnt. Jhenaidah saw extensive violence with ongoing attacks, vandalism, and looting at the homes of 10 minority families in Chaklapara municipality. 6/7 minority shops in Kotchandpur were also attacked and lotted. Radha Gobinda temple were looted and vandalised.”
In Pabna, 10/12 minority homes were attacked, vandalised, and looted in Hathuria and Bera Thana. 2 Kali temples were vandalized and looted. In Nilphamari, 5 minority homes in Bamunia Union, Domar Upazila, were attacked, vandalised, and looted. There was an attempted attack on several minority homes in the Barakali Bari area. 2 temples were vandalized and looted. In Bagerhat, 7/8 Hindu houses were vandalized and looted. In Paikpara village of Rakhalgachi union, the invaders attacked and killed Mrinal Kanti Chatterjee and other family members were seriously injured. 1 Kali temple and 1 Durga Temple were looted and burnt, the WHF said.
If Bangladesh becomes “Hindu free”, India will suffer: Secretary General of World Hindu Federation [Bangladesh] tells OpIndia
Speaking to OpIndia, Dipan Mitra, the Secretary General of the World Hindu Federation (WHF) – Bangladesh Chapter said that the situation of Hindus is getting worse day by day. Giving a rough estimate, Mitra told us that more than 4 Hindu people Haradhan Roy, Kajal Roy, Mrinal Kanti Chatterjee and one unidentified have been killed, 51 Hindu temples vandalised and around 240 Hindu houses have been attacked.
When asked if the Bangladeshi Army and the police are doing anything to save Hindus, he said that although there are around 2.5 crore Hindus in Bangladesh, however, they are “unsecure and unsafe”.
“When Sheikh Hasina left the country the Army Chief said that he would take the power and keep up peace here. But, finally, no police or army is supporting Hindus. We Hindus are still being attacked but till now we have not received any support from the Army or police force,” the Bangladesh WHF Secretary General said.
Upon being asked if the Bangladeshi mainstream media is showing any anti-Hindu bias in covering the attacks on Hindus or if they are downplaying the incidents, Dipan Mitra said that except for a few media outlets most of them are not covering the issue in detail. He added that many houses are also afraid that if they report the attack on Hindus thoroughly, they will be attacked.
“At this moment, If the media groups show the exact numbers of attacks on Hindus and vandalism of Hindu properties and temples, they will be targeted,” Mitra said.
He further expressed concern that the dire situation of Hindus in Bangladesh is not going to return to normalcy anytime soon. Mitra told us that other than the Bangladeshi extremist groups, the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI is also involved in the prevalence of this unrest. Due to this, he said, “I think it is difficult to tell when the situation will return to normal.”
Dipan Mitra also told OpIndia that they are requesting the Indian government to intervene, however, the Bangladeshi Hindus have not received any direct help so far. “We always expect the Indian government to help, especially the Hindu minorities. We have appealed to them to take the initiative to save us,” he said while emphasising that the Indian government must intervene to save the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh.
Notably, in a statement on the 6th of August, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the concern about violence and instability in the neighbouring country is shared across the political spectrum in India. He added that what is particularly worrying about the developments in Bangladesh is that minorities, their businesses and temples have come under attack at various locations in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh WHF Secretary-General expressed apprehension that if Hindus were wiped out from Bangladesh, eventually it would be disastrous for India. He said that in Afghanistan, Hindus have already been wiped out, in Pakistan, only a few lakhs of Hindus are left, however, in Bangladesh, their population is comparatively much higher. He stressed that if India does not take any action Hindus will be wiped out of Bangladesh and then that will create a grave situation for India.
“Afghanistan is becoming totally Hindu free, in Pakistan only a few lakh Hindus are left, but in Bangladesh, still there are 2.5 crore Hindus. But if in this situation, India does not take any initiative, after a certain period, Bangladesh will be totally Hindu-free. And then, if Bangladesh becomes a Hindu-free and Islamic-extremist country, India will be the biggest sufferer and it will suffer more and more.
Speaking about Islamists and their left-liberal sympathisers downplaying the incidents of anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh, Mitra said that they are misguiding the people.
OpIndia asked if there were incidents of Muslims forming ‘human chains’ to protect Hindu temples as being claimed by several usual players like Alt News’s Mohammed Zubair here in India, Mitra simply said, “It is horrible”.
He said that it is horrible and unfortunate that left-liberals in India are downplaying the ongoing anti-Hindu violence and misguiding people with false claims like the Muslims forming human chains etc. Mitra emphasised that the leftists and Islamist sympathisers are not only downplaying the attacks on Hindus but also misleading the global opinion.
Questioning the hypocrisy of left-liberals, Mitra said that “when any such thing happens in far off parts of the world, the leftist parties and their supporters shout and cry but here in a neighbouring Bangladesh where Hindus are suffering a lot, these people are either silent or downplaying these incidents.
Emphasising that former West Bengal CM Jyoti Basu and current CM Mamata Banerjee alongside other Bengali leaders have had their roots in Bangladesh which they have “forgotten” now, Mitra asked why exactly they went to India. Stressing that many Hindu leftists fled Bangladesh fearing persecution at the hands of Islamists there, he asked what drove them out of Bangladesh. He said that Islamists have always attacked and lynched communists-leftists and yet these people always support them. “They never understand,” he said.
The WHF leader also pointed out that in any Islamic country, the left-liberal government or the concept is not allowed to exist. “If Bangladesh becomes a Muslim country, leftists and their ideology will not exist here,” he said.
Furthermore, he requested Indian media to cover the plight of Hindus saying that “for Palestine and Muslims everyone is there, everyone is shouting but for Hindus, no one is beside us”.
Lastly, the WHF leader thanked OpIndia for extensively covering the anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh.
