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Hundreds Gather In US To Protest Violence Against Hindus In Bangladesh

August 14, 2024 by

Hundreds Gather In US To Protest Violence Against Hindus In Bangladesh

File photo

Houston:

In a powerful yet peaceful display of solidarity, over 300 Indian Americans and Bangladeshi-origin Hindus gathered at Sugar Land City Hall in Houston on Sunday morning to protest the horrific acts committed by Islamist extremists targeting Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. The air was thick with emotion as attendees united for a cause that resonated deeply with their identities and beliefs.

Organizers passionately called on the Biden Administration to take immediate and decisive action to prevent further atrocities and to protect vulnerable minority communities in Bangladesh. The recent surge in violence against Hindu communities poses an urgent and alarming threat to peace and stability in the region, and the time to act is now.

The organizers passionately called for immediate protection and safety for all religious minorities in Bangladesh, urging the US government to refuse to remain a silent bystander as these heinous crimes against humanity unfold.

They encouraged Bangladeshi Hindus to stay vigilant and unite in monitoring the ongoing situation, taking necessary initiatives collectively in any emergency.

The vigil, aptly titled “Save Hindus in Bangladesh,” was organized by the Global Voice for Bangladesh Minorities, an umbrella organization representing major Houston Hindu groups, including Maitri, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, HinduAction, HinduPact, Houston Durgabari Society, ISKCON, Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, and many more.

Participants raised their placards high, bearing passionate messages demanding an end to the violence and atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.

The crowd erupted with fervour as slogans like “Stop Hindu Genocide,” “Stand Up and Speak Out Now,” “Hindu Lives Matter,” and “We0 Won’t Run, We Won’t Hide, Stop Hindu Genocide” rang out, echoing their urgent plea for justice.

Quoting the timeless words of Mahatma Gandhi, “To forgive and accept injustice is cowardice,” along with the poignant words of Martin Luther King Jr., the organizers passionately declared, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Achlesh Amar, one of the speakers representing VHP and HinduAction, addressed the packed crowd with unwavering conviction, proclaiming, “We strongly condemn the assault on the Hindu community for their pluralistic beliefs. We stand united in unwavering solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Bangladesh. We demand immediate action from the Bangladeshi government to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safety and security of all its citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs!”

Amar also shared a heartfelt statement from Deepti Mahajan, co-convener of HinduPACT.

“With the coup in Bangladesh, the 10 million Hindus are sitting on a ticking bomb of genocide,” she warned, her voice trembling with urgency. “Reports from within Bangladesh reveal unimaginable torture, killings, and the burning of Hindu temples, alongside harrowing stories of women subjected to unspeakable abuse. This instability poses a grave danger not only to Hindus but also to the very foundations of democracy in countries like India and the US. It is an inevitable threat to Hindus in Pakistan as well. We need the eyes and ears of all Western nations focused on this crisis in Asia, and we demand safety for all minorities in Bangladesh!”

A Bangladeshi-origin American woman present at the vigil spoke with palpable emotion, her voice breaking as she shared, “The horrific acts of violence back home are devastating. When we call home and hear about these brutal acts every single day, it tears us apart. So many innocent lives have been lost! Places of worship have been burned or vandalized, and women have been horrifically abused. This must stop now! We cannot stand idly by while our people suffer!”

The gathering was a powerful reminder that the struggle for justice knows no borders. United by love and compassion, they stood together to demand action, to raise their voices against oppression, and to ensure that the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh does not go unheard.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Hindus, Facing Violence, Hold Massive Rally In Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus Responds

August 14, 2024 by

Hindus, Facing Violence, Hold Massive Rally In Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus Responds

Minority communities in Bangladesh have faced more than 205 incidents of attacks since August 5.

New Delhi:

Lakhs of Hindus took to the streets in Bangladesh on Saturday to protest against the ongoing attacks on the community after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India.

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka and Chittagong, the second-largest city in the country, witnessed lakhs of people attending the massive rallies.

Bangladesh Hindu community members participate in a protest and block the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka
Photo Credit: PTI

Members of minority communities in violence-hit Bangladesh have faced more than 205 incidents of attacks across 52 districts since the fall of the Ms Hasina-led government on August 5.

Hundreds of Hindus are believed to have been injured in attacks on their homes and businesses.

Several Hindu temples have also been vandalised and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with Ms Hasina’s Awami League party have so far been killed in the violence.

Thousands of Bangladeshi Hindus have also been trying to flee to neighbouring India to escape the violence.

Popular Indian restaurant ‘Santoor’ was vandalised and set on fire in Dhaka on Saturday
Photo Credit: AFP

Demanding special tribunals to expedite trials of those who persecute the minorities, allocation of 10 per cent parliamentary seats for the minorities, and enactment of a minority protection law among others, the Hindu demonstrators’ rally blocked traffic for over three hours at Shahbagh in the central part of Dhaka.

Thousands of Muslim protestors, including students, also joined them expressing solidarity for the cause of minorities.

In Chittagong, a huge gathering was held at the historic Cheragi Pahar Square.

Hindus hold a massive protest rally in Chittagong
Photo Credit: IANS

According to some reports, over seven lakh people attended the rally.

Similar demonstrations were held in the US and the UK.

Bangladesh’s Interim Leader On Attacks On Minorities

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus on Saturday condemned attacks on the minority communities in the violence-hit nation, terming them as “heinous”.

Mr Yunus, a Nobel laureate, also urged the students, who are at the forefront of the protests, to protect all Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families from harm.

“Are they not the people of this country? You have been able to save the country; can’t you save some families?… You must say – no one can harm them. They are my brothers; we fought together, and we will stay together,” the 84-year-old asserted, underscoring the need for national unity.

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Sheikh Hasina, Awami League, Bangladesh Protests: Could Have Stayed In Power If…: Sheikh Hasina’s Undelivered Speech

August 14, 2024 by

Sheikh Hasina's Undelivered Speech Had Big Charge Against US

Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign as Bangladesh PM and flee Dhaka amid protests

New Delhi:

Before she resigned as Bangladesh Prime Minister and fled her Dhaka residence, Sheikh Hasina wanted to address the nation, especially the protesters whose agitation forced her to quit the top job. That speech was never delivered as the protesters reached her doorstep and the country’s top security officers advised to leave at the earliest.

Big Charge Against US

Now in India, the 76-year-old has spoken to her close associates about the undelivered speech, accessed by NDTV. In the letter, Sheikh Hasina has accused the US for plotting a regime change in the country and would have said this in her speech if she got a chance.

“I resigned so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow it. I resigned from premiership. I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. I beseech to the people of my land, please do not be manipulated by radicals,” her undelivered speech says.

The Saint Martin island has an area of just 3 square kilometres and is located in the northeastern part of Bay of Bengal. It is the southernmost part of Bangladesh.

The Awami League leader had to resign and flee the country amid violent protests by students that started as an agitation against reservation and snowballed into a stand-off with the Sheikh Hasina government. Over 400 protesters were killed as the veteran leader tried to crush the protests.

Hasina Clarifies Razakar Remark

“If I had remained in the country, more lives would have been lost more resources would have been destroyed. I made the extremely difficult decision to exit. I became your leader because you chose me, you were my strength,” the undelivered speech says.

It adds that she is pained by the targeting of Awami League leaders and that she “will return soon”. “Awami League has stood up again and again. I shall forever pray for the future of Bangladesh.”

She also clarified that she never called the protesting students Razakars.

In one of the statements during the protests, Sheikh Hasina had said, “If not the grandchildren of the freedom fighters, then who will get quota benefits? The grandchildren of the ‘Razakars’?” The word, used to refer to a paramilitary force recruited by the Pakistani army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, sparked a massive backlash and the protests intensified. In her undelivered address to the nation, the Awami League leader has said, “I have never called you Razakars. Rather my words were distorted to incite you. I request you to watch the full video.”

Hasina’s Rocky Ties With US

Relations between the US and Bangladesh had nosedived during Sheikh Hasina’s term so much so that Washington DC had said the January elections in which Awami League returned to power were not free or fair.

Months before her exit, Sheikh Hasina had claimed that “conspiracies” were being hatched to topple her government and alleged a “white man’s” plot to carve a new “Christian country” out of Bangladesh and Myanmar. “If I allowed a certain country to build an airbase in Bangladesh, then I would have had no problem,” she had said in May.

Following her resignation and escape, the US said, “The United States has long called for respecting democratic rights in Bangladesh, and we urge that the interim government formation be democratic and inclusive.” Washington DC also said that the US greatly values its relationship with the people of Bangladesh.

Earlier, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller had condemned the violence against protesters. “We condemn any violence against peaceful protesters. We’ve been watching this matter very closely, both from our embassy and officials here in Washington. (We) have been monitoring the protests, have seen the reports of people dying, being killed in the protests. And we again, call on the government to uphold individual’s rights to protest peacefully,” he had said.

What’s Happening In Bangladesh

With Sheikh Hasina gone, an interim government under Nobel peace prize winner and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. Amid reports of attacks on minorities, he has asked students leading the protests to ensure that they their efforts are sabotaged.

“There are many standing by to make your efforts futile. Don’t fail this time,” he said, urging them to protect Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families from harm. “Are they not the people of this country? You have been able to save the country; can’t you save some families?…You must say – no one can harm them. They are my brothers; we fought together, and we will stay together,” he has said.

In a major development, Bangladesh’s Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan and five other top judges on Saturday were forced to resign amid massive student protests demanding a revamp of the judiciary.

Several other top officials, including Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Maksud Kamal, have also quit after protests.

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Why Bangladesh Chief Justice, Sheikh Hasina Loyalist, Was Forced To Quit

August 14, 2024 by

Why Bangladesh Chief Justice, Sheikh Hasina Loyalist, Was Forced To Quit

Bangladesh violence has resulted in the death of over 400 in the last month.

Dhaka:

The Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Obaidul Hassan, resigned today following massive protests by students who surrounded the Supreme Court. Mr Hassan agreed to resign “in principle” after an ultimatum to do so from protesters. He was appointed to helm the Supreme Court last year and is seen as a loyalist to ousted premier Sheikh Hasina.

Hundreds of protesters, largely comprising students, surrounded the Bangladesh Supreme Court, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Justice. The situation escalated rapidly, with reports suggesting the Chief Justice fled the premises before announcing his resignation.

The Bangladesh protests were sparked by a full-court meeting called by the Chief Justice without consulting the newly formed interim government. Student protestors alleged that the judges of the court are part of a conspiracy, prompting outrage and demands for accountability.

As tensions mounted, the scheduled full-court meeting was abruptly called off. Protestors, undeterred, continued to besiege the Supreme Court, giving the Chief Justice a one-hour ultimatum to step down.

The fresh protests come days after a student-led uprising against government hiring rules resulted in Nobel peace prize winner Muhammad Yunus taking charge of a caretaker government.

At least 450 people were killed in more than a month of deadly protests that ended the autocratic rule of 76-year-old prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina faces allegations of murder, forced disappearance, money laundering and corruption, and must face the law, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, a senior member of Bangladesh Nationalist Party said.

Hasina, one of Asia’s longest-serving leaders, resigned and fled Bangladesh on August 5 under pressure from millions of protesters who had taken to the streets for weeks to demand she step down.

An interim government was appointed in Bangladesh Thursday, led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus. Under the constitution, an election needs to be called within 90 days, although Yunus, the military – which backs the interim government – and the president haven’t commented on when elections will be held.

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