Bangladesh unrest: As communal tensions have gripped Bangladesh following deadly protests that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country, hundreds of Hindu temples, businesses and houses have been vandalised since Hasina's ouster, a community association said on Tuesday. This comes as India has voiced concerns about the status of minorities and many have requested New Delhi's intervention in the crisis.
Hindus constitute around 8 per cent in Bangladesh's 170 million people and have historically largely supported Hasina's Awami League party, which identifies as largely secular. On the other hand, the opposition bloc led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) includes a hardline Islamist party that is reputed for a rise in extremism.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) told Reuters that 200-300 mainly Hindu homes and businesses had been vandalised since Monday, and 15-20 Hindu temples damaged. Up to 40 people have been injured though not seriously, said its general secretary, Rana Dasgupta. "The communal atrocities erupted hours before she resigned," he said.
"Although there is no killing, there is injury. Houses and businesses of minorities, especially Hindus, as well as temples, have been targeted, looted, damaged," Dasgupta further said, adding that some people threw a brick at his car on Monday in Chattogram. "The situation is horrific," said Manindra Kumar Nath, a Hindu community leader. "Even today, we are getting calls from people asking us to save their lives, but we are not receiving any support from anywhere."
Tensions rise in Muslim-majority Bangladesh
Students who led the protests against Hasina that have killed over 400 people since July have repeatedly urged people not to target minority communities in the overwhelmingly Muslim country. However, Hindu community leaders said they were feeling vulnerable because of the lack of a functioning government.
Avirup Sarkar, a Dhaka-based development professional, told the BBC that his widowed cousin, who lived 100 km from Dhaka, called him in panic hours after Hasina was ousted. "She sounded terrified. She said the house had been attacked and plundered by a mob," he said. His cousin said the mob of about 100 people, armed with sticks, stormed the house, smashing furniture, TV, bathroom fittings and doors. Before leaving, they took all the cash and jewellery.
“You people are descendants of the Awami League! This country is in a bad shape because of you. You should leave the country,” the mob shouted at the residents before leaving with the loot, according to Sarkar. This came as social media was flooded with reports of Hindu properties and temples being attacked by angry mobs.
An ISKCON temple in Meherpur, located in the Khulna Division of the country, was set ablaze along with the idols of deities including Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Devi. Dozens of Hindu houses and temples, including a Kali temple were vandalised by violent protesters and two Hindu councillors have reportedly been shot dead. An unruly mob on Monday also damaged the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) and the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum located in the Dhanmondi area in the Bangladesh capital, eyewitnesses said.
Journalists, artistes targeted
Local media reports said Hindu journalist Pradip Kumar Bhowmik of Daily Khoborpatra was killed while covering the protests in Sirajganj on Sunday, taking the number of media workers killed in the unrest to five. A total of 25 journalists were injured in incidents of assaults across the country, The Daily Star reported.
Moreover, a violent mob attacked folk singer Rahul Ananda's house in Dhaka's Dhanmondi 32 on Monday. The attacker barged into the house by breaking the main gate and ransacked the place in minutes, following which they set the house on fire. he house, nearly 140-year-old, served as a vibrant cultural hub for musicians and contained over 3,000 handcrafted musical instruments in it, which are all now destroyed.
Muslims guard temples in some areas
In a welcoming sight among the violence, students and local people came for the protection of temples in some places, according to a Dhaka Tribune correspondent. "Both Muslim and Hindu neighbours are guarding to protect the temple. Some individuals have used this temple for their own benefit. We acknowledge their efforts in developing it, but they have forcibly removed us from the temple," said Raj Ghosh at Dhakeshwari Temple.
Ranjan Kumar Das, another resident who was guarding the temple, said, "Last night, some students and local Muslims who are in the Madrasa and Mosque committee were with us for a while. They provided their contact details for help in case we were attacked. Our Muslim brothers who have stood beside us are setting an example for everyone. If everyone can ensure safety like this, such incidents would not happen."
Rafid Azad, a student of the Dhaka University Department of Law, said they have been in Ramna Kali Temple since Tuesday afternoon to guard it from attacks, while local students are building networks to protect minorities. Posters saying “You are our brothers, do not fear” and “Bangladesh is for all of us” were found near the Swami Bagh Temple.
India expresses concerns over minorities
Meanwhile, India has publicly expressed its concerns over the state of minorities in the violence-torn Bangladesh after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. "What was particularly worrying was that minorities, their businesses and temples also came under attack at multiple locations... There are reports of initiatives by various groups and organisations to ensure their protection and well-being," said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in an address to Lok Sabha.
He further said India remains deeply concerned till law and order is visibly restored and that the border guarding forces have also been instructed to be exceptionally alert in view of this complex situation. Several people have called on the intervention of the Indian government in the crisis to protect Hindus and Sikhs there.
Spiritual Guru and founder of Isha Foundation Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev on Wednesday sought prompt action by India to protect Hindus in the neighbouring country. "The atrocities being perpetrated against Hindus is not just an internal matter of #Bangladesh. Bharat cannot be Maha-Bharat if we do not stand up and act at the earliest to ensure the safety of minorities in our neighbourhood. What was part of this Nation unfortunately became neighbourhood, but it is our responsibility to protect these people -who actually belong to this Civilization- from these shocking atrocities," the spiritual leader said in an X post.
Earlier, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday requested the government" to ensure safety of the Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh which is in the midst of political turmoil. There have been reports about the minority Hindu community being targeted, said senior RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi. BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut said "no one is safe in Muslim countries, not even Muslims themselves."
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