‘A Genocide Unfolding’: Indian intellectuals appeal to Parliament over Hindu persecution in Bangladesh

On Monday, August 12, 2024, a group of 57 Indian authors, columnists, researchers, and scientists publicly condemned the escalating violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh, which has intensified following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In an open letter addressed to the Indian Parliament, the signatories highlighted the dire situation faced by the Hindu minority in Bangladesh and called for urgent intervention.

The letter pointed to what the authors describe as a “genocide” being carried out against Hindus by Islamist extremists. An official statement from the group expressed grave concern over the recent wave of violence, stating, “Recent incidents have brought global attention to a renewed and alarming pattern of targeted violence against Hindus in the region. The current developments in Bangladesh have destabilised the situation, resulting in increased attacks on minority communities.”

The statement further elaborated on the long history of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, noting that such atrocities have often surged during periods of political instability. It recalled the 1971 genocide, when the Pakistani regime killed 2.5 million Hindus before Bangladesh’s independence, marking the beginning of a continuous pattern of persecution. “Since 1971, there has been an ongoing and systematic pogrom against Hindus,” the statement read, emphasising the severity and continuity of the violence.

According to reports cited in the letter, over 3,600 attacks on Hindus have occurred in Bangladesh since 2013. A human rights organisation, identified as Deutsche Welle, revealed that in the past decade alone, nearly 550 homes and 440 businesses owned by Hindus have been destroyed by arson and vandalism. Additionally, over 1,670 incidents of desecration involving Hindu temples, idols, and places of worship have been documented during the same period.

The letter also highlighted specific recent incidents, including the burning of an ISKCON centre in Meherpur and the vandalism of multiple Hindu temples across Bangladesh. It noted with alarm the circulation of videos showing mobs celebrating the lynching of Hindus, painting a grim picture of the current situation.

In response to these alarming developments, the authors urged the Indian Parliament to pass a unanimous resolution recognising and condemning the ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. They also called for collaboration with international organisations, such as the United Nations, to pressure Bangladeshi authorities into taking decisive actions to protect the Hindu minority and to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.

The open letter also advocated for humanitarian assistance and asylum options for Hindus fleeing persecution in Bangladesh. The signatories, who include prominent figures such as Dr. AK Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashwin Sanghi, Dr. Amit Thadhani, Dr. Ratan Sharda, Hindol Sengupta, Rajeev Mantri, Smita Barooah, Dr. Vikram Sampath, Pankaj Saxena, and Srinidhi Balasubramanian, have called for immediate and concrete steps to address the crisis.

The letter’s release coincides with widespread reports of escalating violence against Hindus in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. Islamist groups have reportedly unleashed a wave of terror, targeting Hindu homes, businesses, and temples. Numerous incidents of violence have been documented and reported by various media outlets, including OpIndia.

One particularly distressing incident was captured on video and widely circulated on social media on August 9, 2024. The footage shows Bimal Chandra Dey, a Hindu man from Comilla, Bangladesh, recounting the destruction of his automobile shop, ‘City Bike Centre,’ which was set ablaze by Islamist extremists amidst the ongoing political chaos. “Has anyone seen their dreams shatter before their eyes? I am seeing that. I am watching how my future is being destroyed,” Dey lamented in the video.

Another harrowing video surfaced on the same day, showing a woman sobbing as she described how her home was ransacked by Islamist mobs. “They came and looted our house. They took away our money, gold, and whatever valuables we had. They also abducted my 14-year-old son. I don’t even know who they were,” she cried, her voice trembling with fear and despair.

Further evidence of the atrocities was provided by a Hindu woman in a Facebook video, where she described how her family was assaulted by Islamist mobs overnight. Her 15-year-old brother was attacked at knifepoint, and the family lost Tk 3 lakh to the looters. “Look how they have vandalised our houses… Is this the work of a human? They claim this is now an independent country. See what they have done to my underage brother,” she narrated, expressing the profound sense of insecurity faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.

The series of incidents, which began as early as August 5, 2024, has seen a marked increase in brutality. A particularly gruesome video from August 7 shows a mob encircling the corpse of a Hindu man, stripped naked and humiliated post-mortem. The assailants, chanting “Hindu, Hindu,” gleefully identified the victim as Hindu based on his lack of circumcision, underscoring the depth of their hatred.

The letter and the accompanying reports highlight the urgency of the situation, calling on the Indian government and the international community to take swift action. The authors stress that without immediate intervention, the Hindu minority in Bangladesh faces an existential threat, as the violence shows no signs of abating. The situation remains fluid, with more reports of targeted violence against Hindus emerging as the political crisis in Bangladesh continues to unfold.