HINDUS DEMAND JUSTICE GLOBALLY

Violence against Hindus in Bangladesh is escalating, with attacks on temples and individuals. The arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das and the persecution of ISKCON have sparked global protests, calling on governments to urge Bangladesh to protect minority rights. Asian Voice has gathered insights from community and political leaders on the need for justice for Hindus in Bangladesh.

Subhasini Naicker Wednesday 04th December 2024 05:54 EST
 
 

Since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has surged, with frequent reports of temple vandalism, assaults, and attacks on individuals. The Hindu minority in Bangladesh comprises 8%. Over 200 incidents have been reported across more than 50 districts.

The arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), for advocating minority rights in Bangladesh highlights the Yunus government's alleged Hinduphobia.

Sixty-three ISKCON monks travelling from Bangladesh to India for a religious ceremony were stopped by the Bangladeshi government, suggesting a coordinated anti-Hindu campaign by fundamentalists with government support. 

The interim government in Bangladesh is labeling ISKCON as a cult, despite the organisation’s global impact with nearly 1,500 temples promoting multiculturalism and aiding those in need. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar briefed Prime Minister Modi on the situation, including the recent attacks on Hindus and the arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das. 

The Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern over his denial of bail and urged Bangladesh to ensure Hindu safety. In response, Bangladesh dismissed the issue as an "internal affair," accusing India of misrepresenting facts and undermining bilateral relations.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for a UN peacekeeping force in Bangladesh amid ongoing violence against Hindus and other religious minorities. 

She urged Prime Minister Modi’s direct intervention to ensure their safety, condemning the recent arrest of three Hindu monks on sedition charges. Banerjee stressed that India could not tolerate attacks on its citizens in Bangladesh and appealed for government action, including taking the issue to the UN for peacekeeping support.

Hindu communities worldwide are uniting to urge political leaders to address the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh. 

Insight UK has launched a campaign highlighting the humanitarian crisis and violation of human rights and religious freedoms in the country. The campaign stresses that the UK, as a key trade partner and financial supporter of Bangladesh, has significant influence, particularly in the textile industry. It calls for leveraging this relationship to demand an end to violence and persecution of minorities, respect for religious freedoms, and the protection of organisations like ISKCON. The UK government must make human rights protections a condition for continued trade and aid and stand firm against religious persecution and the erosion of democratic principles.

Bangladeshi Hindus in Montreal protested in solidarity with ISKCON Bangladesh, urging the Canadian government to pressure Bangladesh’s interim government to protect minority rights. Protesters chanted slogans calling for the safety of minorities.

A member of the Bangladeshi diaspora at the protest urged for peace and justice, highlighting the ongoing violence against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. "What is happening? Have you seen?" he asked, condemning the situation.

Another protester explained that fundamentalists had been unleashed, overtaking institutions. "On August 5th, a coup took place, with the army taking control and allowing Muslim fundamentalists to attack minorities and opposition groups," he said.

Hindus in the UK are also planning a similar peaceful protest, urging the High Commissioner of India to the UK, H.E. Vikram Doraiswami for further help from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as concerns grow over safety of Hindus, including family and friends settled in Bangladesh. 

Hindu monk’s arrest draws concern

Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a leader of the Sanatan Jagaran Mancha, Brahmachari was charged with sedition for raising a saffron flag during a protest of nearly 200,000 Hindus demanding minority protections, including legal reforms. 

Critics argue the charges aim to silence advocacy, as his movement has consistently upheld national values, often displaying the Bangladeshi flag during events. This incident highlights a broader pattern of suppressing Hindu activists amid escalating communal tensions.

Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari’s bail plea was deferred after lawyers refused to represent him in court, citing threats and restrictions. According to the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote, over 70 lawyers defending Brahmachari have been named as defendants, while others face intimidation, effectively barring legal support for his case.

Lawyers defending Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari have faced violent attacks in recent days. Advocate Ramen Roy was brutally assaulted, his home ransacked, and his office vandalised, according to ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das. Roy is now hospitalised in critical condition, highlighting the escalating hostility toward those advocating for minority rights in Bangladesh.

ISKCON Kolkata has advised followers in Bangladesh to avoid wearing saffron clothes, hide tulsi beads, remove tilak, and cover their heads to prevent attacks amid escalating violence against Hindu minorities and monks.

A Kolkata youth reported being assaulted in Dhaka by unidentified individuals after they discovered he was a Hindu from India.

Relations between India and Bangladesh hit a new low

India and Bangladesh, once close neighbours, now face strained relations. The Exporters & Importers Association of Assam's Sribhumi district has halted trade with Bangladesh through the Sutarkandi land port. Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari announced an "indefinite export embargo," warning that trade restrictions would escalate unless Bangladesh's interim government addresses the attacks on Hindus.

Flights between Bangladesh and Kolkata dropped from 205 in July to 96 in November, with passenger numbers halving. Truck traffic has also plunged, with daily crossings at Ghojadanga and Petrapole land ports falling from 350-400 to around 150-200.

Tensions between India and Bangladesh have escalated, with Tripura’s hospitality sector banning Bangladeshi tourists after protests at the Bangladeshi mission in Agartala. Bangladeshi tourist numbers to India dropped from 2.12 million in 2023 to 1.29 million by August 2024. Hospitals in Kolkata and Agartala have also stopped treating Bangladeshi patients, citing ongoing attacks on Hindus, threatening the medical tourism sector, which saw 300,000–350,000 Bangladeshi visitors in 2023.

At a private practice in Siliguri, a Tricolour has been displayed with a message in Bengali urging "especially Bangladeshi patients" to offer "pranam" to the flag before entering. 

Recently, several doctors in West Bengal and a hospital in Kolkata have announced they will not treat patients from Bangladesh. Many Bangladeshi patients travel to Siliguri, a border town with checkposts like Hilli, Changrabanda, and Phulbari. Some local doctors have prioritised national loyalty over income in making this decision.

Call for urgent action 

A spokesperson from ISKCON told Asian Voice exclusively, “On Sunday, December 1, 2024, a global prayer and kirtanvigil was held at ISKCON temples and other Hindu temples around the world, to offer prayers and show support for minorities in Bangladesh. This initiative, led by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) leadership, saw a remarkable outpouring of support from communities across continents. The ISKCON services included repetition of a shared prayer, “Dear Lord Krishna … kindly bless and protect all the devotees and other religious minorities in Bangladesh. May the current social tensions be peacefully resolved and may lasting harmony be established in the land of Bangladesh.”

“The Governing Body Commission (GBC) Executive Committee of ISKCON coordinated this effort in consultation with ISKCON Bangladesh leadership. The leadership expressed deep gratitude for the global prayers, emphasising their profound impact in offering spiritual support during this volatile time. ISKCON encourages continued prayers as the situation in Bangladesh remains sensitive. The global community’s response underscores the power of unity, faith, and prayer in challenging times,” the spokesperson added. 

Alpesh Patel OBE, Chair, City Hindus Network and our columnist said, “Make sure you tell British diplomats advocating British businesses are safe doing business in Bangladesh, that it’s simply not true – reply to them on social media which they personally read. Counter the FCDO narrative about Bangladesh being safe. It is not. It deserves at best a boycott from British business. At worst, well, if it were Americans it was happening to, Trump would have stationed the US Seventh Fleet off the Bay of Bengal. Get hold through your American contacts with Tulsi, Vivek, Kash, Usha. And reach out to the American Christians and show them what’s happening to Christians there. Light a fire. Be smart.” (Refer to page 3, Political Sketchbook)

Co-founder of City Sikhs, Param Singh MBE said, “The recent attacks on temples, churches and minority communities in Bangladesh represent a deeply shocking and unacceptable violation of human rights. It is crucial for us, to amplify awareness through social media, and leveraging all available diplomatic channels to urge the Bangladesh government to safeguard its citizens and uphold justice. We hope for a peaceful and calm resolution to the volatile situation in Bangladesh over the longer term.”

MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman CBE said, “I am hugely disappointed that the UK Government Minister responsible has repeatedly failed to condemn the violence against Hindus taking place in Bangladesh. The Government refused to put out a statement, forced only to answer an Urgent Question on the matter. It is wholly unacceptable that religious minorities are persecuted anywhere in the world and thus this behaviour in Bangladesh must be sanctioned immediately. Hindus in Bangladesh are under direct attack whether in temples, homes or businesses. In particular the attacks on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) are an outrage and the UK should use every necessary action directly with Bangladesh, at the UN and with our friends in India to prevent this attempt at ethnic cleansing of Hindus from Bangladesh.”

While addressing the UK Parliament, Blackman condemned the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, stating their homes and temples are being burned, with some facing death. He highlighted the arrest of ISKCON’s spiritual leader and an attempt to ban the organisation in Bangladesh. Blackman called for action, stressing that the UK has a responsibility due to its role in Bangladesh’s independence and cannot accept the persecution of religious minorities, urging more than just a written statement from the FCDO.

Lord Navnit Dholakia OBE said, “Bangladesh, the former east Pakistan, was established after a bloody war. It was no small effort on the part of India which assisted militarily to intervene and took over 100,000 prisoners of war from the Pakistani army. There was massive bloodshed and scores of people, particularly religious citizens, lost their lives.  With the recent departure of the former president Sheikh Hasina to India I was not surprised at the reemergence of violence against religious minorities. Sheikh Mujiber Rahman’s dream of secular Bangladesh was lost. Indian temples bore the brunt of violence and despite promises of protection from the government this has continued. ISKCON temples have borne the brunt of violence. This is unacceptable. Violence against religious minorities must stop. We need a clear direction from those in power of how this could be achieved.

“India has assisted Bangladesh to move from one of the poorest countries to the prosperity it enjoyed. It is time the world knows what is going on there. It is time for everyone to speak and endorse a nonviolent approach to the religious minorities and protect the religious temples supported by the Hindu community there,” he added. 

Shadow Foreign Secretary and MP for Witham, Dame Priti Patel DBE said, “These senseless acts of violence and the instability in Bangladesh is deeply concerning and my thoughts are with all of those affected. The targeting of religious places of worship is horrendous and I know many Hindus will be feeling frightened and fearful especially given the impact of previous waves of violence. The Bangladeshi government must ensure that robust action is taken to protect life, prevent violence and safeguard religious freedoms and I have called on the UK government to do all it can to support that work.”

During her briefing in Parliament, Priti emphasised the significance of the arrest of an ISKCON leader, calling it a grave issue, especially given the attack on a place of worship. She expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in Bangladesh, describing it as uncontrolled and spreading widely. Priti extended her thoughts to the affected diaspora community in the UK and those in Bangladesh, highlighting the instability following the former Prime Minister’s departure in August. She called on governments worldwide to condemn the violence and restore peace and law and order.

Trupti Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) said, “Hindus are the most ancient residents of Bangladesh; they tolerated invaders and others to settle on their land, mass religious conversion and killings of innocent Hindus happened in the last thousand years. Everyone is shocked and as horrified as most sane people in the UK, with the state of security in Bangladesh for all minority communities.  We have evidence of mass killings, rapes, looting and property damage to the Hindu community. Places of worship, Hindu Mandirs, have come under attack with no resemblance of any protection afforded to the community by the state.”

She continued, “The human rights of Hindus (and other minorities) in Bangladesh are being violated on an unprecedented scale. With over half a million persons of Bangladeshi heritage in the UK, the conflict in Bangladesh could potentially also have ramifications here in the UK.”




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