Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajote leader and advocate Gobinda Chandra Pramanik has raised concerns about the safety of the Hindu community in Bangladesh amidst ongoing political unrest.
In a recent video statement, Pramanik highlighted the wide-scale student protests against Sheikh Hasina’s government over quota reforms, which escalated into a major people’s movement. The situation led to violent police crackdowns, resulting in over 400 deaths and widespread unrest.
“Following the violent suppression of protests and the subsequent political upheaval, the safety of Hindu minorities has become a serious concern,” Pramanik said. “The resignation of Sheikh Hasina and the escape of her party leaders left many Hindus fearing retaliation.”
In response to the turmoil, Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country on Monday afternoon. Additionally, leaders and ministers of the ruling Awami League also escaped, leaving their supporters, particularly from the Hindu minority community, in fear of potential attacks. Reports of vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples surfaced, raising concerns of a possible massacre.
However, in a positive development, the Jamaat-E-Islami Party and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have taken measures to protect Hindu temples. These parties have directed their workers to guard the temples in minority areas, and there have been reports that they have upheld their commitment, preventing further attacks.
Pramanik praised these efforts, stating, “It is encouraging to see the Jamaat-E-Islami and BNP stepping up to protect Hindu places of worship. Their actions have played a crucial role in maintaining peace in these turbulent times.”
Despite this, Hindu supporters of the Awami League, who had opposed the quota reform movement, faced violence, including torching of their homes and businesses. “While the situation has improved, we must remain vigilant and continue to support those affected by the unrest,” Pramanik added.
As of today, there have been no new reports of violence, and the Hindu community appears to be relatively safe, although some communal clashes were reported until yesterday.
