Hindu Community Under Siege Amid Bangladesh Protests
The protests in Bangladesh, initially sparked by opposition to a controversial quota system for government jobs, have escalated into widespread rioting and looting. Amid the chaos, the minority Hindu community has become a prime target, with numerous reports of temples being torched and homes and businesses being attacked. The upheaval has intensified following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s flight to India, leaving an interim government yet to be established.
Social media has been flooded with videos showing the destruction, including Hindu temples set ablaze and properties vandalized. However, there have also been instances of solidarity, such as Muslim clerics in Cumilla guarding a Hindu temple.
According to a report by Bangladesh’s Daily Star, mobs have attacked and looted Hindu homes and businesses in at least 27 districts. In Meherpur, Khulna division, an ISKCON temple and a Kali temple were vandalized and set on fire. ISKCON spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das shared that their center in Meherpur was destroyed, but the three devotees living there managed to escape unharmed.
The violence has claimed lives, including that of Haradhan Roy, a Hindu councillor from Rangpur City Corporation, who was reportedly killed on Sunday. Another councillor, Kajal Roy, was also lynched. Sunday marked one of the deadliest days since the protests began, with over 100 fatalities as demonstrators demanded Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and clashed with police.
The severity of the attacks has drawn attention and condemnation. Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of India’s Economic Advisory Council, expressed his horror on social media, highlighting the plight of the Bengali Hindu community. Disturbing videos show individuals in distress, including a girl 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 establishments, including the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, which facilitates cultural exchanges between India and Bangladesh.
These attacks are the most severe since 2021, when protests erupted during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh, leading to widespread violence against Hindu temples. The current situation underscores the precarious position of the Hindu community in Bangladesh amid political unrest.
