The Ongoing Genocide of Hindus In Bangladesh — An Open Letter
Photo Courtesy: The Hindu
VOICING OUR CONCERN ABOUT THE ONGOING HINDU GENOCIDE IN BANGLADESH
We, the undersigned, are writing to convey our profound concern regarding the escalating violence and persecution faced by the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Recent incidents have brought global attention to a renewed and alarming pattern of targeted violence against Hindus in the region.
In recent days we have observed deeply troubling events, including the burning of an ISKCON center in Meherpur, the vandalism of multiple Hindu temples across the country, and the dissemination of videos showing rioters celebrating the lynching of Hindus:
https://businesstoday.in/world/story/bangladesh-protests-anti-hindu-protests-grow-as-iskcon-center-in-meherpur-burned-devotees-safe-confirms-iskcon-india-leader-440251-2024-08-05
https://indiatoday.in/world/story/bangladesh-violence-priotes-hindu-temples-indians-vandalised-shekh-hsaina-resigantion-2577360-2024-08-05
Tragically, these acts of violence are neither isolated nor are they without precedent. The Hindu population in Bangladesh has historically endured repeated waves of persecution, which often intensify during periods of political instability. Since 1971, when 2.5 million Hindus were murdered by the Pakistani regime before the formation of Bangladesh, there has been an ongoing and systematic pogrom against Hindus. Reports indicate that there have been over 3,600 attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh since 2013:
https://hindustantimes.com/world-news/bangladesh-over-3-600-attacks-on-hindus-since-2013-rights-groups-concerned-101634868827734.html
The current developments in Bangladesh have further destabilized the situation, resulting in increased attacks on minority communities:
https://indiatoday.in/world/story/bangladesh-violence-priotes-hindu-temples-indians-vandalised-shekh-hsaina-resigantion-2577360-2024-08-05
These events are reminiscent of the tragic exodus of Hindus from Bangladesh in previous decades, underscoring a recurring cycle of violence that must be urgently addressed.
Given the severity of these circumstances, we respectfully request your immediate intervention to bring this matter to the attention of your elected representatives, urging them to address this issue at the highest levels of government.
We, the undersigned, urge the Indian Parliament to:
- Pass a unanimous resolution recognizing the ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and condemning this wave of communal violence.
- Collaborate with international bodies, such as the United Nations, to press the Bangladeshi authorities to take concrete steps to protect their Hindu minority and hold the perpetrators accountable (https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152811).
- Advocate for the provision of humanitarian assistance and asylum options for Hindus fleeing persecution in Bangladesh.
It is imperative that immediate action is taken to prevent further atrocities and to uphold the fundamental human rights of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Your support is crucial in mobilizing international action and ensuring that these vulnerable populations receive the protection they so urgently need.
Signed by,
Dr. A. K. Singh, Neurosurgeon
Abhishek Banerjee, Author and columnist
Abhinav Agarwal, Author
Amish Tripathi, Author
Dr Amit Thadhani, Consulting General Surgeon, Social activist and Author
Anand Ranganathan
Aneesh Gokhale, Author
Anirudh Joshi
Aparna M Sridhar, Chief Editor, Conversations, Indica
Arun Krishnan, Author
Ashwin Sanghi, Author
Avatans Kumar, Columnist
Deepak M R, Author and Trainer
Dushyant Sridhar, Speaker and Author on Hindu scriptures
Gurpreet Chopra, Author, Financial Analyst
GV Shivakumar, Author, Director – INDICA
Harsh Gupta Madhusudan, Author and Investor
Hindol Sengupta, Author
J Sai Deepak, Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Author
Jataayu, Tamil Scholar and Cultural Commentator
Kavita Krishna Meegama, Author
Lila Krishna, Columnist
Mathukumalli Vidyasagar, Scientist
Megh Kalyanasundaram
Nagaraj Patauri
Neelabh Pratap Singh, Author
Dr. Nidhi Shendurnikar, Independent Media Educator & Researcher, Vadodara (Gujarat)
Nithin Sridhar, Author, Speaker & Director, INDICA Center for Moksha Studies
Pankaj Sahay, Professor
Pankaj Saxena, Author, Co-founder Brhat
Pingali Gopal, Doctor, Author
Pranshu B Saxena, Author & Founder – The Real Mahabharata of Sage Vyasa
Raghava Krishna, Founder & CEO, Brhat
Dr Ratan Sharda – author, TV panelist
Rajeev Mantri, Author
Rajeev Srinivasan, Columnist
Ram , Founder, hindumisia.ai
Ramaharitha Pusarla, Editor, MyInd
Ramesh Rao, Professor, Columbus State University
Ratul Chakraborty, Author
Roopal G Vaish, Author
S Anuradha, Author
Saiswaroopa Iyer, Author and Academic
Semanti Chakraborty, Teacher and Author
Shailendra Marathe, Author, Educationist
Smita Barooah, Author
Soumitra Banerji – Author & Consultant
Srinidhi Balasubramanian, Author
Srivalli Rekha, Author
Sumedha Verma Ojha (Historian and Author)
Sunil Kumar, Author
C Surendranath, Columnist and Speaker
Dr Swetha Prakash, Author
Vaijayanthi Chakravarthy
Vaishali S, Author
Dr. Vikram Sampath, Author, Historian and Fellow of Royal Historical Society UK
Dr Yogini Deshpande, Practising Civil Engineer & Co-Founder IndicA Today