The brutal mob lynching incidents of Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mandal have left the Hindu community in Bangladesh extremely shocked and terrified. Hindus in various parts of the country claim that they are living under the shadow of Islamist mob violence and that their only option is to ask India for assistance. On Thursday, political stirrings in support of Tarique Rahman, a leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), further fueled minority anxieties.
What is happening in Bangladesh?
Hindus in Rangpur, Dhaka, Chittagong, and Mymensingh are reportedly experiencing an increased level of fear, according to a Times of India report. While speaking to The Times of India(TOI), a 52-year-old resident from Rangpur stated, “We face constant insults for our faith but cannot react to repeated humiliation. The mere taunts we face while walking down the road may soon turn into mob killings. We are trapped and have nowhere to go. We swallow insults as we fear we could meet the same fate as Dipu or Amrit.” The community is particularly worried about the possibility of the BNP coming to power after the elections, as the party is widely seen as hostile toward minorities. “We are helpless. We can only escape to India, but there is strict control at the borders,” he further told TOI.
What triggered the recent wave of fear among Bangladeshi Hindus?
Speaking to the Times of India, another Hindu resident of Dhaka said,”If Dipu Das’ lynching has triggered fears, the return of Tarique Rahman, son of former President Khaleda Zia, to Bangladesh makes them more anxious. If the BNP comes to power, we could face more persecution. Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was our only saviour.”
The plight of Bangladesh’s Hindus is being felt as far away as Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh in India. Many Hindu refugees from what was once East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) are currently living in areas of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur in Maharashtra, as well as in Pakhanjur in Chhattisgarh. According to Dr. Subodh Biswas, the Nikhil Bangla Committee president, an organisation of former East Pakistan refugees, says, “Why don’t Hindu organisations get proactive? India is the only country where Hindus of Bangladesh can bank upon during a crisis. More Hindus will be killed, but borders remain shut. We plan to stage protests at the border,” as reported by TOI.
How are Hindu residents describing their situation?
An activist of the Sanatan Jagaran Manch, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TOI,”There are 2.5 crore Hindus in Bangladesh. It’s not a small number. Hindu organisations in India are doing nothing more than lip service. We are staring at a holocaust.” We are living the worst nightmare. Opening the Indian borders will at least create an escape route for those facing persecution,” a Hindu from Dhaka stated.
Earlier on Friday, India said the “unremitting hostilities” against minorities in Bangladesh is a matter of “grave concern” as it demanded punishment to the perpetrators involved in the lynching of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh area last week. In response, New Delhi also reacted cautiously to the return to Dhaka of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman after a 17-year absence, saying it should be viewed in the context of India’s efforts to ensure free, fair, and inclusive parliamentary polls in that country.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India condemned the recent killing of Dipu Chandra Das and demanded action against those involved in the killing. “The unremitting hostilities against the minorities in Bangladesh including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists at the hands of extremists is a matter of grave concern.” “We condemn the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh and expect that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice,” Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. The relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power following the collapse of the Hasina government. India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.
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