Dhaka: Tens of thousands of minority Hindus rallied on Friday, demanding that the interim government in Muslim-majority Bangladesh protect them from a wave of attacks and harassment and drop sedition cases against Hindu community leaders. Approximately 30,000 Hindus demonstrated at a major intersection in the southeastern city of Chattogram, chanting slogans to assert their rights while police and soldiers maintained a guard in the area. Other protests were reported across the country, highlighting growing concerns among the Hindu community.
Hindu groups assert that there have been thousands of attacks against Hindus since early August when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s secular government was overthrown and she fled the country following a student-led uprising. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace laureate appointed to lead the interim government after Hasina’s downfall, has claimed that these figures have been exaggerated. Hindus make up about 8% of Bangladesh’s nearly 170 million people, while Muslims account for about 91%. The influential Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has reported over 2,000 attacks on Hindus since August 4, as the interim government struggles to restore order.
The situation has drawn international attention, with United Nations human rights officials and other rights groups expressing concern over human rights conditions in the country under Yunus. Hindus and other minority communities allege that the interim government has not adequately protected them, and they believe hard-line Islamists have become increasingly influential since Hasina’s ousting. The issue has resonated beyond Bangladesh, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern over reports of violence against minorities. U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has stated it is monitoring human rights issues in Bangladesh, while presidential candidate Donald Trump has condemned what he described as “barbaric” violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities.
Friday’s protest in Chattogram was hastily organized after sedition charges were filed on Wednesday against 19 Hindu leaders, including prominent priest Chandan Kumar Dhar, over an October 25 rally in the city. Police arrested two of the leaders, inciting anger among the Hindu community. The charges stem from an incident where rally-goers allegedly placed a saffron flag above the Bangladesh flag on a pillar, which was deemed disrespectful to the national flag. Hindu community leaders argue that the cases are politically motivated and demanded their withdrawal within 72 hours. Another Hindu rally is planned for Saturday in Dhaka. Separately, supporters of Hasina’s Awami League party and its allied Jatiya Party have also reported being targeted since her ousting, with Jatiya’s headquarters vandalized and set on fire late Thursday.
