What began as a protest about government job quotas in Bangladesh has sadly turned into something much worse. The protests have escalated into looting and riots across the country, and the Hindu minority has been particularly targeted. With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly fleeing to India and no new government yet in place, social media is full of alarming videos showing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, with temples being set on fire and homes and businesses being attacked.
Despite the chaos, there have been heartwarming moments of support. For example, Muslim clerics were seen guarding a Hindu temple in Cumilla, and students protected the Dhakeshwari Mandir in Dhaka. These acts remind us that even in difficult times, there are people who stand up against the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
According to Bangladesh’s Daily Star, mobs attacked Hindu homes and businesses in at least 27 districts, stealing valuables and spreading fear. The Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political group, has admitted to targeting Hindu temples during the unrest, adding to the ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
In one particularly tragic attack, an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, located in the Khulna division, was vandalized and set on fire, along with a nearby Kali temple. ISKCON spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das said that the temple, which housed the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi, was completely destroyed. Thankfully, three devotees living there managed to escape unharmed despite the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
Sadly, the violence has also led to loss of life. Haradhan Roy, a Hindu councillor from the Rangpur City Corporation, was killed, making it one of the deadliest days since the protests began. Another councillor, Kajal Roy, was reportedly lynched, and over 100 people died as protesters clashed with police while demanding Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. These deaths are among the many tragic outcomes of the ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
The brutal killing of Haradhan Roy was highlighted by Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of India’s Economic Advisory Council, who expressed his deep concern as a Bengali Hindu and descendant of refugees. Like many others, he finds the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh deeply troubling.
Videos online further show how serious the situation is. In one, a girl from the Pirojpur district is seen pleading for help, clearly upset. Another video shows a temple in Navgraha Bari, Chittagong, being burned by an angry mob, adding to the disturbing evidence of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has reported 54 separate attacks on Hindu temples, homes, and businesses, including the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, which promotes cultural exchange between India and Bangladesh. These incidents represent some of the worst violence against Hindus in Bangladesh since 2021, when protests erupted after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the country. Back then, many Hindu temples were also attacked.
Today, Hindus make up about 8% of Bangladesh’s population, or roughly 13.1 million people. However, this is much lower than in 1951, when Hindus made up 22% of the population. According to the Hindu American Foundation, over 11 million Hindus fled Bangladesh due to religious persecution between 1964 and 2013, a grim reminder of the long history of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
Monindra Kumar Nath, a senior leader of the Hindu group Oikya Parishad, spoke about the fear in the Hindu community. “They are crying, saying they are being beaten up, and their houses and businesses are being looted. What is our fault? Is it our fault that we are citizens of the country?” Nath asked, clearly distressed. “Where would we go if such attacks continue here? How can we console the members of the Hindu community?” His words reflect the ongoing concern over the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
With Sheikh Hasina’s government now out of power, there is concern that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami could gain more control, which might lead to a large number of Hindu refugees fleeing to India. West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, has already warned that the state government should prepare to shelter up to one crore Hindu refugees if the situation continues to worsen, further complicating the crisis of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
The safety of Hindus in Bangladesh has become a top priority for many, including BJP leader Sunil Deodhar, who stressed the need to protect them from violence. Addressing the Lok Sabha, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that India is deeply concerned about the situation and is closely monitoring developments while staying in contact with the Bangladesh Army, all in response to the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
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