Lagatar24 Desk
Dhaka: What began as a protest against a government job quota system in Bangladesh has escalated into widespread violence, with the minority Hindu community bearing the brunt of the attacks. The unrest has intensified following the resignation and subsequent fleeing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India. Social media is awash with disturbing footage of temples being set ablaze and Hindu homes and businesses being attacked.
Despite the chaos, there are glimmers of hope. Videos have surfaced showing Muslim clerics in Cumilla standing guard to protect a Hindu temple from rioters.
A report by Bangladesh’s Daily Star highlighted the extent of the violence, noting that Hindu homes and businesses were attacked and looted in at least 27 districts on Monday.
ISKCON Temple Set on Fire, Hindu Councillors Killed
In one of the most severe incidents, an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, Khulna division, was vandalized and set on fire. ISKCON spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das reported that the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi were destroyed, although three devotees managed to escape unharmed.
Adding to the tragedy, Haradhan Roy, a Hindu councillor from Rangpur City Corporation, was killed on Sunday, a day marked by intense clashes and violence that claimed over 100 lives. Another councillor, Kajal Roy, was reportedly lynched.
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, highlighted the lynching of Haradhan Roy, expressing deep concern as a Bengali Hindu and a descendant of refugees.
Videos shared by Hindu activists depict the severity of the situation, including a girl in distress pleading for help in Pirojpur district and a temple in Navgraha Bari, Chittagong, being set on fire by a mob.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has documented 54 attacks on Hindu temples, homes, and businesses, including the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, which fosters cultural ties between India and Bangladesh.
Historic and Ongoing Persecution
The current attacks are the most severe against Hindus in Bangladesh since 2021, when widespread violence erupted following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. At that time, numerous Hindu temples were attacked.
Today, Hindus constitute about 8% of Bangladesh’s population, approximately 13.1 million people. This is a significant decline from 1951, when Hindus made up 22% of the population. According to the Hindu American Foundation, over 11 million Hindus fled Bangladesh due to religious persecution between 1964 and 2013.
Monindra Kumar Nath, senior joint general secretary of Oikya Parishad, a Hindu organization, voiced the community’s fears. “Hindus are crying, saying they are being beaten up, and their houses and businesses are being looted. What is our fault? Is it our fault that we are citizens of the country?” Nath told the Daily Star.
Possible Influx of Hindu Refugees
With Hasina’s departure, there are concerns that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami could gain significant influence, potentially leading to an influx of Hindu refugees into India.
India shares a nearly 4,096 km long land and riverine border with Bangladesh. Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, has warned the Mamata Banerjee-led government to prepare for a possible influx of one crore Hindu refugees from Bangladesh.
BJP leader Sunil Deodhar stressed the importance of prioritizing the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh. “Widespread violence against Hindus has been reported. Regardless of the issue, whenever the sentiments of Muslims are ignited, they target only ‘Kafirs’ in ‘their’ land,” Deodhar tweeted.
