Since the resignation of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, minority communities in Bangladesh have been subjected to at least 205 attacks across 52 districts, according to reports from two Hindu organizations.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad detailed these incidents in a letter addressed to Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel laureate recently appointed as the head of an interim government, as reported by The Daily Star.
The data reveals that these attacks have occurred since Monday, when Hasina, aged 76, stepped down and sought refuge in India following widespread protests against her government's controversial job quota system.
“We seek protection because our lives are in a disastrous state. We are staying up at night, guarding our homes and temples. I have never seen anything like this in my life. We demand that the government restore communal harmony in the country,” said Nirmal Rosario, one of the three presidents of the unity council.
Rosario urged Yunus to address the crisis with urgency and put an end to the violence, citing the deteriorating situation.
The letter, which was signed by Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council General Secretary Rana Dasgupta and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudev Dhar, acknowledged Yunus’s leadership during this turbulent period marked by a mass uprising seeking societal reform.
It lamented that, despite the progress towards a more just society, some factions are attempting to undermine these achievements by orchestrating unprecedented violence against minorities. The letter also highlighted the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that this violence has instilled among minorities and has led to international criticism.
“We demand an immediate end to this situation,” the letter stated.
Kajal Devnath, a member of the unity council’s praesidium, insisted that those responsible for targeting minorities must face justice. “If a minority individual is attacked for political reasons, it is still unacceptable. Anyone who commits a crime should be judged, but burning homes and looting will not lead to justice.” Devnath mentioned that many from the Hindu community are currently seeking refuge in the homes of others, including himself.
On Friday, Yunus announced the roles of his 16-member advisory council after his swearing-in as chief advisor, a role akin to that of a prime minister. His immediate focus is to stabilize Bangladesh in response to student protests demanding his temporary leadership amid ongoing anti-government demonstrations.
Foreign Affairs adviser Hossain emphasized that restoring law and order is the interim government’s top priority, with other issues to be addressed once stability is achieved.
In response to the violence, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, condemned racially motivated attacks. “What we’ve made clear is we want to make sure that the violence that has been occurring in Bangladesh in recent weeks is tamped down. Certainly, we stand against any racially based attacks or racially based incitement to violence,” Haq said.
Since the fall of Hasina’s government, over 230 people have died in the violence, bringing the total death toll to 560 since anti-quota protests began in mid-July. Reports indicate that Hindu temples, homes, and businesses have been vandalized, women assaulted, and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with the Awami League, led by Hasina, have been killed in the aftermath of her departure.
