Silenced Voices: The Struggle of Hindus in Bangladesh Amid Government Inaction

Bangladesh is a country rich in culture. Yet, not all cultures are equally accepted. Hindus continue to face attacks, and students are protesting in response to the lasting impact of the 1971 Bangladesh Genocide. At GHRTV News, we are committed to amplifying the voices of the voiceless, including Hindus living in Bangladesh. In an exclusive interview, we spoke with a 24-year-old Hindu youth, Anirban Dhar, demanding justice for all Hindus in the country. Despite these ongoing injustices, the new government has failed to take meaningful action to protect its people and uphold their rights. It is crucial to recognize that human rights violations should never be selectively addressed—justice must be pursued for all. For safety reasons, the name mentioned in this context is fictional and does not correspond to any real individual.

Why are you actively involved in this journey to justice?
I am a youth belonging to the Hindu community of Bangladesh. Since my birth, after becoming conscious, I have witnessed violence against Hindus in places: Ramu (2012), Satkhira (2013), Nasirnagar (2014), Rangpur (2017), Cumilla (2021). These atrocities were covered by the Bangladeshi media. Nevertheless, after Sheikh Hasina fled the country, the media failed to report any violence, but 1769 incidents were reported to the local police by the victims. However, the actual number of incidents is much higher because not everyone dared or knew how to report such incidents.

What is the current situation in Bangladesh and the impact of the interim government on Bangladesh?
Bangladesh has experienced a mass uprising in which 865 peoples died. The former Prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country. Every citizen of Bangladesh was hoping for a new Bangladesh that included minorities. However, this dream turned into disaster within 3-4 hours after Hasina’s departure. Houses, properties, shops of minorities were looted, burnt, vandalized in various parts of Bangladesh. Temple vandalism is still ongoing. To ensure the protection and justice of minorities, certain measures should have been taken – but they were not.

“A truly brighter Bangladesh can only be built on justice, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to the rights and dignity of all its people.”

Thank you, Anirban, please elaborate more on the atrocities and situations.
Lalit and Sanjeet, two apolitical businessmen, owning four big shops in Farabari market of Thakurgaon district, faced a massive loss on August 5, 2024. The products of their shops were looted, with Lalit suffering damages of $20.000 and Sanjeet $18.000. These events were not acknowledged as communal attacks. So, justice and compensation remain distant prospects.

First, everything was looted, then the land of the crematorium was grabbed. In addition, 19 Hindu houses of Burasardubi village (Hatibandha Upazila, Lalmonirhat district) were set on fire. Affected Hindus took shelter on a few Muslim families, somehow miscreants got the news, then came back and looted everything from them as well. Though law enforcement agencies of the state visited the village, out of the 32 men, only five or six stayed there due to security concerns. The Ministry of Public Administration has suspended the gazette of 227 officers, including 71 officers who are Hindus. Hindus were selected from more than 250 out of 1900 posts. The recruitment of 321 sub-inspectors of police has been cancelled, only 93 Hindus were selected. There were only 99 Hindus applicants! So, the careers of 9 Hindu senior police officers hang in the balance, while 12 were elected.  In fact, Hindus organized protests and processions after August 5, 2924, demanding justice, compensation, safety, and protection due to the impacts of the 1971 Genocide. Currently, they are facing 12 cases for merely exercising their fundamental rights as human beings. Of course, the police are the plaintiffs in 5 of these cases.

Many Hindu businessmen have faced misfortunes similar to Lalit and Sanjeet, many houses have suffered fates similar to the 19 families – whose houses got burnt – in Lalmonirhat district. Being deprived of appointments in Government jobs sends a sent message to our Hindu students: think about other professions, as you are not welcomed in the State’s decision-making process. The message from the State officials to Hindus is clear: tolerate the oppression, otherwise you will face consequences such as being imprisoned.

“Bangladeshi media not only hide communal attacks but also misguided two journalists by not showing them the actual sites of violence.”

We are starting to see more news about Bangladesh, BBC is covering it sometimes and other Western media outlets too. What do you think about the Western media or Bangladeshi media sharing news about the situation?
Thank you for this important question. Under the guidance of Shahriar Mim, a local television journalist in Rangpur, and two BBC journalists went to Rangpur to verify communal violence. However, they were taken to locations where no incidents had occurred. Bangladeshi media not only hide communal attacks but also misguided two journalists by not showing them the actual sites of violence. Even BBC news didn’t include any Information about the visit in Rangpur. Though, one journalist still tried to seek more information about the attacks on Hindu by posting his question on Facebook. Then a report in BBC news published about the attacks on minorities and they found most of them rumors. But, one thing that gave me a bit of hope is that another BBC journalist discovered the truth and covered this in a two parts radio documentary. She named this documentary “The Plight of Hindus in Bangladesh”.

Thank you a lot Anirban for your bravery to stand up for your people. The message from the government is clear, but we think your message to the government is clear too. Not only yours, but all Hindus. So, last question, what is your message to the government?
Professor Muhammad Yunus, a Noble Laureate, Peace Prize winner is now the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. I was hoping that he would tell the world about every incident and put an end to the oppression against Hindus, making us seen and heard. In fact, just addressing all atrocities, honoring the Hindus lives that were lost due to the oppression. Unfortunately, he pleaded for another path and pointed fingers at the fact that the media shared news about the attack on minorities in exaggerated ways. The interim government has failed us. The crimes are still ongoing, and seem to be legitimated by the government. Evidently, the condition of law and order degrades day by day. If action was taken against the attackers and perpetrators, these atrocities would have ended or at least decreased. Sadly, this is not the reality, the government is hiding the truth from the world and leaving minorities in vulnerable situations.

That is a clear message. Do you also have a message to the victims of these atrocities?
Not really, but I only have one thing to say. I believe in a peaceful and inclusive Bangladesh, but this can only happen if the government is acknowledging the attacks on minorities, providing adequate solutions such as compensation to the victim families and ensuring justice. Only then, Bangladesh is livable for everyone and not only for selected people. A truly brighter Bangladesh can only be built on justice, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to the rights and dignity of all its people.