Plight of Hindus in Post-Hasina Bangladesh: Yunus Government Should Not Be in Denial Mode

Rather than resorting to denial, which is symptomatic of the Yunus government’s lack of action, it should work towards improving the country’s law and order situation, preventing communal attacks by Islamic radical groups on the Hindus, that have continued with alarming regularity since Hasina’s fall.

Five months have lapsed since Bangladesh witnessed a momentous political change in a student-led protest that escalated into a mass movement leading to the end of 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina. The country seems to be engulfed in a series of never-ending crises. Along with celebration of what many called a ‘second liberation’ (the first once was in 1971) came the disruption in the law-and-order situation with increasing instances of mob violence. As Dhaka, under a new interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, is engaged in reforms for a smooth political transition, the deplorable state of minorities in Bangladesh, especially Hindus, has caught global attention. The continuing attacks on the Hindus following the fall of the Hasina government points to the grim reality that the anti-Hindu sentiments continue to prevail in Bangladesh making the Hindus vulnerable to attack in times of social and political upheavals from time to time. This commentary focuses on the condition of the Hindus in the emerging scenario.

The largest minority in Bangladesh, the Hindus, comprising of eight per cent of the country’s population (2022 census), has gone through several waves of demographic changes since the partition of India in 1947, which could be attributed to both voluntary as well as forced migration— the latter, resulting out of systemic religious persecution. Moreover, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the 1980s-90s and its intensification in the 2000s posed a challenge to the country’s secular and democratic ethos which perhaps made the minority Hindus more vulnerable. Only a decade back, a resurgence of communal attacks gripped the nation with the emergence of new terror factions like Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Hefazat-e-Islam. The attacks on Hindus have been based on the accusation of them being “anti-Islam” and “allies” of India, the Hindu-majority neighbour of Bangladesh. The attacks on the Hindus following the fall of the Hasina government points to the grim reality that the anti-Hindu sentiments continue to prevail in Bangladesh making the Hindus vulnerable to attack in times of social and political upheavals from time to time. This commentary focuses on the condition of the Hindus in the emerging scenario.

Since Hasina’s fall

The movement in July called Students against Discrimination that symbolized, as many would argue, Bangladeshi youth’s aspirations of a secular, inclusive, just and democratic nation beyond party politics, saw participation of protestors across all sections of people. However, moments after Hasina’s deposition, shocking videos and images of vandalism and desecration of murals and statues of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (also known as Bangabandhu) caught the headlines. Amidst this chaos came renewed attacks, looting and vandalism of Hindu-owned properties and religious sites by violent mobs. Media reports, however, projected these attacks to be ‘politically motivated’ (attack on Awami League loyalists), rather than communal, since majority of Hindus are believed to be supporters of secular Awami League party, known to be more tolerant about religious freedom of minorities (it faced constant criticism from Islamic parties because of this). Nonetheless, about 2,010 incidents of communal violence have been reported between 4-20 August across the country.

Despite instances of attack on Hindus being labeled as ‘political’, the developments before and during Durga Puja, the most auspicious cultural and religious festival for Bengali Hindus, revealed a different picture. Almost 35 reported incidents of attacks such as, protest marches by Islamic groups demanding an end of celebration involving idol worship; threat letters received by several Durga Puja committees; vandalization of idols; hurling of petrol bomb in puja pandals; theft at Jeshoreshwari temple in Ishwaripur, a village in the Shyamnagar upazila of the Satkhira district in Bangladesh; Islamic songs being sung in puja pandals and attacks during idol immersion processions tell that these attacks were not political and the mindset of the people that perpetrated such vandalism was rooted in communalism. Muhammad Yunus, who earlier advised Hindus to halt Durga Puja celebration during namaz time, spoke of collective failure in ensuring security when he visited Dhakeshwari temple in Dhaka. In addition to direct attacks, the Hindus were also reported to have been forced to resign from government jobs, on pretext of being ‘allies’ of the Awamil League. A Berlin-based rights watch organisation, in its November 2024 report on 100 days of Yunus-led interim government, observed the increasing ‘influence of religion-based politics’ with minority Hindus becoming ‘easy targets of Islamist forces’. The report further criticised Yunus-led interim government for its ‘lack of effective investigation’ on the same. Nonetheless, it is pitiable that representatives of the interim government continue to say that the violence on Hindus are “completely exaggerated” and a “global campaign by a certain quarter to create trouble.”

Tension at an all-time high

Communal tensions reached new height since late October when Firoz Khan, a local BNP leader (now expelled), registered a case of sedition case against a Hindu priest associated with International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), and community leader Chinmoy Krishna Das for allegedly disrespecting the national flag. The case was also slapped against 18 other Hindu community leaders, triggering a protest rally of over 30,000 minority Hindus in Chattogram, demanding dropping of the sedition case against Das and other leaders and ensuring protection of Hindus in the country. Das, a spokesperson for Bangladesh Sanatani Jagaran Mancha, a Hindu organisation, advocated implementation of minority affairs ministry and protection of minorities via its eight-point demand at rally in Chattogram in late October. He was also formerly associated with ISKCON (Chattogram division), before his expulsion in July this year. However, because of his (former) ISKCON affiliation, there has been petition (including by leaders of Students Against Discrimination) to ban ISKCON.

Just after the slapping of sedition cases against Hindu leaders, a controversial post by a Muslim youth, calling ISKCON a ‘terrorist organisation’ aggravated tension in Chattogram, as a video footage revealed that there were clashes between Hindus (protesting against such derogatory post) and law enforcement forces. The arrest of Chinmoy Das on 25 November and subsequent denial of bail by court added fuel to fire, triggering a wave of violent clash between his followers and law enforcement agencies, led to the killing of a lawyer. This incident further intensified demands for ban on ISKCON and the latter’s decision to distance itself from association with Das. While plea to ban ISKCON that called it ‘radical organisation’, faced High Court’s rejection, Chinmoy Das continues to remain in jail without a lawyer to present his bail plea, and the hearing has been postponed to 2 January 2025, next year.

Global reaction

The atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh since Hasina’s ouster has triggered reactions globally. Indian American and Hindus of Bangladesh-origin, about 300 of them, staged a peaceful protest about ‘assault on Hindu community for their pluralistic beliefs’ in Houston in Texas, calling upon the Biden administration to ‘take immediate action’. Muhammad Yunus’s visit to US to attend the 79^th UNGA session in September drew protest from Bangladeshi nationals who gathered outside the hotel in New York, where Yunus was staying, and raised slogans like ‘Go back’ and ‘Step down’ over lawlessness in Bangladesh and attacks on Hindus since Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka.

The European Union was among the first to raise its concern on attack on minorities in the country. Its diplomats in Bangladesh expressed their concerns (‘very concerned’) about reports of attacks against minorities and called for ‘calm’. Amnesty International, during the initial stage of instances of attacks on Hindus, issued a statement (on 14 August), urging the Bangladesh interim government to conduct “swift, thorough, impartial and independent investigation” regarding crimes against minority communities associated with incidents of mob violence and ensure a fair and transparent trial on the same. In a joint letter, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch among other rights organisations, took note of the chaos and violence in Bangladesh since 5 August, including the attack on minority Hindus, and urged immediate human rights monitoring and investigation by the UN of the human rights situation in Bangladesh.

The US stressed the “need of respect for fundamental freedoms, religious freedom and basic human rights”, including rule of law, during the recent press briefing on being questioned about violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Earlier, Donald Trump, before US Presidential election, tweeted his condemnation of communal unrest in Bangladesh which “would have never happened on my watch” and criticised Biden-Harris administration for ‘ignoring’ the Hindus in Bangladesh. US Congressman Brad Sherman expressed ‘outrage’ and called for interim government’s “obligation to protect its Hindu minority and meaningfully address the protest of thousands of minority Hindus in outcry over the recent waves of attacks and harassment.” MPs in the United Kingdom, too, raised ‘deep concern’ about ‘situation on knife edge’ as they brought up the issue of attack (on Hindus in Bangladesh) in the British Parliament.

The strongest reaction was, of course, from India, what seems to have strained bilaterial relations. On extending his best wishes to Muhammad Yunus who on 8 August swore in as the head of the newly constituted interim government, PM Modi urged him to ensure “safety and protection of Hindus and all minority communities.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 12 October issued a statement on attacks during Durga Puja, calling it ‘deplorable events’ as New Delhi held that events “follow[ed] a systemic pattern of desecration and damage to temples and deities.” Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest, further, took bilateral relations in a downward spiral, as the MEA noted Das’s arrest and denial of bail, including the attacks on peaceful protestors, as ‘unfortunate’ while ‘perpetrators of violence remain at large’. The reaction in the Indian border state of Tripura which came in the shape of unfortunate attacks on the Bangladesh consulate in Agartala, on 2 December 2024, indicate that the worsening condition of the Hindus is likely to raise the communal temperature in the border states in the days to come.

Conclusion

The expression of concern from the international community, including the United Nations, regarding the deplorable situation of minority Hindus in Bangladesh does not seem to have acted as a deterrent so far. It is primarily because the global reaction ebbed away very fast and there is no consistent pressure on Bangladesh government to take adequate measures to stop attacks on the Hindu minority in the country. India, being a neighbour, has followed developments in Bangladesh closely and the reactions in India have intensified following the arrest of Chinmoy Das. Considering Yunus-led interim government’s own denial that these attacks could not be considered religious persecution and were ‘politically motivated’, primarily to avoid accusations of human rights abuses, there is a need for international community, particularly the US, which seems to have some influence on the Yunus government, to monitor the evolving situation on the ground and keep up the pressure on it to ensure safety and security of its citizens. Rather than resorting to denial, which is symptomatic of its lack of action, it should work towards improving the country’s law and order situation, preventing communal attacks by Islamic radical groups on the Hindus, that have continued with alarming regularity since Hasina’s fall.

*Dr Ankita Sanyal is Associate Research Fellow at International Centre for Peace Studies, New Delhi. The views expressed here are her own.