With the escalation in violence and persecution, Hindus throughout the Islamic nation of Bangladesh have taken to the streets to voice their anguish over the rampant attacks on their homes, temples, and families. They have highlighted the systemic targeting of their religious identity and livelihoods by Islamist extremists. The situation has led to a surge in protests, as the Hindu minority seeks justice and protection from the brutalities they continue to face in a country where they are increasingly marginalized.
The protests that were temporarily suspended based on assurances from the chief adviser and other officials resumed on Friday afternoon (September 13), with members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh returning to the streets to demand an end to the repression of minorities.
Members of Sanatani Odhikar Andolon—a coalition of various Hindu organizations—and Bangladesh Hindu Jagran Manch blocked the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka, reiterating their eight-point demand, accusing the government of failing to take effective action to address their concerns. The blockade, initiated around 4:30 pm halted vehicular traffic, leading to significant congestion in the area.
Dhaka Shahbag Blocked By Hindu Organisations For 5 Hours Demanding To The Government To Ensure Their Safety.
— বাংলার ছেলে 🇧🇩 (@iSoumikSaheb) September 13, 2024
They Left Shahbag Just Now After Announcing To Block Shahbag Again In Future If Safety Isnt Ensured #BangladeshCrisis pic.twitter.com/7wSvNcQBoE
Likewise, members of the Sammilito Sanatani Samaj-Bangladesh organised a rally at Jamal Khan Intersection of Chattogram City to press the eight-point demands.
Massive protests in Bangladesh by Hindus in #Chattagram demanding minority rights.
— Shining Star (@ShineHamesha) September 14, 2024
The interim govt seems to be deaf.
And western media is downplaying the ordeal.pic.twitter.com/P5csH7ZRiY
Their eight demands include: conducting a speedy tribunal trial for the incidents of attacks on minorities following the government’s fall; compensating and rehabilitating victims of communal violence; creating a minority protection law; establishing a ministry for minority affairs; converting the Hindu Religion Welfare Trust into a Hindu Foundation; transforming the Buddhist and Christian Religion Welfare Trusts into foundations; recovering endowed properties and formulating a law for their protection; properly enforcing vested property laws; and instituting a five-day holiday for Durga Puja.
Speakers at the event stated that no government in the 53 years since independence has prosecuted the atrocities committed against the Hindu community in the country, creating a culture of impunity for such crimes that has emboldened perpetrators over the years. They also noted that minorities consistently become the targets of repression whenever incidents occur.
After the student-led mass uprising, we thought we would get a non-discriminatory social system. However, since August 5, homes of Hindu people, their temples and business establishments were attacked in 49 districts of the country. According to Prothom Alo’s report, there were a total of 1,068 attacks on Hindus between August 5-20,” said Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.
“The chief adviser to the interim government is a Nobel Peace Laureate. We hope he will take steps to establish peace for all people, including the Hindu community, in the country,” he added.
Poet and writer Farhad Mazhar stated that the vandalism of shrines across the country was premeditated and criticized the government for failing to take action to prevent the attacks. “Firstly, it is a criminal offence. However, the new government did not take any action to prevent such attacks. Secondly, these attacks on shrines were pre-planned and carried out after public announcements. We have seen these announcements on social media,” he said.
He made these comments while speaking at a human chain event at the National Museum premises in the capital.
The ousting of Sheikh Hasina from power in Bangladesh on 5 August intensified the ongoing persecution and marginalization of Hindus in the Islamic nation, escalating to what can be termed a silent genocide. Under Sheikh Hasina’s government, while there were still incidents of violence against minorities, with her political fall, Islamist groups have gained more influence, and their agenda of creating an Islamic Bangladesh free of minority communities, particularly Hindus, has come to the forefront.
Since her ousting, the persecution of Hindus has taken several forms—ranging from physical violence, destruction of temples and religious symbols and systematic displacement from ancestral lands. Islamist mobs, often posing as pro-democracy, anti-quota, or anti-government protesters, have exploited political unrest to carry out attacks on Hindu communities with greater impunity. In the past few days, numerous Bangladeshi Hindus have stepped forward to share their harrowing experiences amid the ongoing genocide against their community.
Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to the interim government in Bangladesh, whitewashes Islamist crimes against Hindus
Meanwhile, Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to the interim government in Bangladesh attempted to downplay the anti-Hindu pogroms unleashed by Islamists following the fall of Sheikh Hasina by calling it ‘exaggerated’. Yunus further tried to contextualise the Islamist violence against the Hindu minority saying that he told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there were several ‘dimensions’ to the issue.
“I have said this to Modi also that this is exaggerated. This issue has several dimensions. When the country went through an upheaval following the atrocities by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those who were with them also faced attacks,” Yunus said.
Further emphasising the ‘political’ aspect of anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus said, “Now, while beating up Awami League cadres, they had beaten up Hindus as there is a perception that Hindus in Bangladesh mean Awami League supporters. I am not saying that what has happened is right, but some people are using it as an excuse to seize property. So, there is no clear distinction between Awami League supporters and Hindus.”
“These attacks are political and not communal. And India is propagating these incidents in a big way. We have not said that we can’t do anything; we have said that we are doing everything,” Yunus continued.
