Following the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh has witnessed a significant escalation in violence targeting the Hindu minority. Reports indicate that hundreds of Hindus have been injured in attacks on their homes and businesses, sparking widespread protests throughout the country.
On Saturday, an unprecedented wave of Hindu protesters took to the streets of Bangladesh, rallying against the ongoing violence targeting their community. Massive demonstrations were held in Dhaka, the capital, and Chittagong, the nation’s second-largest city, drawing participation from hundreds of thousands.
In Dhaka’s Shahbagh area, protesters blocked traffic for more than three hours, demanding justice for the attacks on minorities. Their demands included the creation of special tribunals to fast-track trials of those responsible for the violence, reserving 10 percent of parliamentary seats for minority communities, and enacting a minority protection law.
Violence and Destruction Persist
Since Sheikh Hasina’s government fell, there have been over 205 documented incidents of violence against minority communities across 52 districts in Bangladesh. This wave of violence has included the desecration of several Hindu temples and the murder of at least two Hindu leaders associated with Hasina’s Awami League party.
The violence has forced thousands of Bangladeshi Hindus to seek refuge in neighboring India, as their situation grows increasingly perilous with ongoing targeted attacks.
Muhammad Yunus Condemns the Violence, Calls for National Unity
Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has strongly condemned the violence against minority communities, describing these acts as “heinous.” In a statement on Saturday, Yunus called on the nation’s students—who have been leading the protests—to protect Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families from harm.
“Aren’t they citizens of this country?” Yunus questioned. “You have saved the country; can’t you save these families? You must declare that no one can harm them. They are our brothers; we fought together, and we will stand together,” he urged, emphasizing the critical need for national unity during these challenging times.
