Hundreds of Bangladeshi Hindus took to the streets of Dhaka on Friday, protesting against a series of targeted attacks on minority communities following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government earlier this week. The demonstrations, marked by posters pleading for protection and chants of “Who are we? Bengali, Bengali,” highlighted the growing fears among the Hindu minority, who make up about 8% of Bangladesh’s 170 million population.
Since the departure of long-time Awami League leader Hasina, who resigned and fled to India on Monday, Hindu temples, homes, and businesses have been subjected to vandalism, and several Hindu leaders associated with the party have been killed. The Awami League, in a social media post, stated, “#Bangladesh #Hindus have taken to the streets in #Shahbagh #Dhaka to protest the attacks on their person, properties, and places of worship since Aug 5.”
#Bangladesh #Hindus have taken to the streets in #Shahbagh #Dhaka to protest the attacks on their person, properties, and places of worship since Aug 5. https://t.co/Lz4wcYbScC
— Awami League (@albd1971) August 9, 2024
The protests erupted just a day after Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh, following Hasina’s resignation amidst widespread unrest over a controversial job quota system. Yunus, 84, took the oath of office at a ceremony in the presidential palace, Bangabhaban, on Thursday.
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 (@RoKhanna) August 8, 2024
In response to the escalating violence, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to Yunus and expressed hope for a swift return to normalcy, emphasizing the need for the protection of Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. Modi posted on X, “My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security, and development.”
The United Nations also reacted to the situation, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing his opposition to any racially based attacks or incitement to violence. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, stated on Thursday, “What we’ve made clear is we want to make sure that the violence that has been occurring in Bangladesh in recent weeks is tamped down. Certainly, we stand against any racially based attacks or racially based incitement to violence.”
In the United States, two prominent Indian-American lawmakers have called for an immediate end to the ongoing violence against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. They urged the interim government, under Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Yunus, to uphold the rule of law and protect vulnerable communities. These remarks followed a meeting between Hindu American groups and State Department officials, where concerns were raised about the spike in violence against Hindus and the destruction of Hindu temples in Bangladesh. The lawmakers also criticized the lack of acknowledgment and condemnation from Congress and the administration, calling it “unacceptable.”