Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus signs a document after taking the oath of office as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 8, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Amid concerns of possible unrest during Durga puja, Bangladesh’s interim government on Sunday (September 8, 2024) warned potential troublemakers, pledging tough action against those disrupting communal harmony or targeting places of worship during the Hindu festival.

Durga puja will be celebrated from October 9 to 13.

“If anyone disrupts or harasses people at worship halls, we will not spare them. We will bring them under the law and ensure peace,” Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain said during a visit to the Prematli Gaurang Bari Kalimandir in Godagari at Rajshahi district.

He urged members of the Hindu community to celebrate their festivals with enthusiasm and religious fervour and assured them that no one would be allowed to harm their temples, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

“If you fear attacks on your temples, be assured that no criminals will succeed. We have engaged local people, including madrasa students, to take turns guarding the temples. No one will stop us from celebrating our religious festivals,” Hossain said, asserting that the interim government wants to transform Bangladesh into a state free of discrimination and sectarianism.

The minority Hindu population faced vandalism of their businesses and properties, and destruction of temples, during the student-led violence that erupted following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India.

On Saturday at Rajshahi Circuit House, Hossain met with government officials and warned that miscreants might attempt to disrupt communal harmony ahead of Durga puja.

“We must collectively resist such efforts,” he said, suggesting that madrasa students could be engaged as volunteers to help safeguard temples during the festival.

The adviser also instructed law enforcement and the administration to take measures to secure puja mandaps.

Last month, thousands of Hindus staged protest rallies in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka and the northeastern port city of Chattogram, demanding protection.

The Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance in August said the minority Hindu community faced attacks and threats in 278 locations across 48 districts since the fall of the Hasina-led government and termed it as an “assault on the Hindu religion”.

Hindus, who made up 22% of Bangladesh’s population at the time of the 1971 Liberation War, now constitute about 8% of 170 million.

Nari Shakti Forum members take part in a protest over violence against minorities in Bangladesh, from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 16, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor Santishree D. Pandit on Friday (August 16) participated in a march organised under the banner of Nari Shakti forum, a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS)-backed organisation, in Delhi to protest the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Swaraj said that the situation in Bangladesh, a result of political instability, was extremely worrisome and the biggest victim of this instability was the Hindu community.

“Women are being raped and men are being tortured. Our religious places are also being vandalised. Through today’s protest march, we want to tell the Bangladeshi Hindus and other minorities that we stand with them and they are not alone in this,” she said.

Hundreds of women, who participated in the protest march, walked from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar with banners and placards and demanded that violence against minorities in Bangladesh be stopped. Some protesters covered their mouths with black bands.

The protest drew a huge crowd that police had to place traffic restrictions and diversions to manage the march.

Bangladesh is witnessing political instability following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government over anti-quota protests. There have been reports of targeted attacks on the Hindu community, a minority in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance, a non-political Hindu religious organisation, has claimed that the minority community has faced attacks and threats in 278 locations across 48 districts since August 5.

Concerned with the attack on Hindus, the Sangh Parivar and its affiliates have approached the Central government, asking them to take appropriate steps to help the Bangladeshi Hindus.

London:

A large crowd gathered outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Saturday to protest the alleged violence against minority Hindus and other groups in Bangladesh following the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier this week.

Protesters carried Bangladeshi flags and held posters with messages such as “Protect our temples in Bangladesh,” “Hindu lives matter,” and “We want justice.”

They chanted slogans demanding peace and equality amidst the recent surge in violence.

The demonstration included activists from various human rights organizations, members of the Bangladeshi diaspora, and Indian-American Hindu allies standing in solidarity with Bangladesh’s Hindu community.

Unadi, a protester from Bangladesh, expressed concern over the helplessness of Bangladeshi Hindus, saying that the majority population prevents them from speaking out against injustices.

“Our country became independent in 1971 so that all communities could live peacefully. But now, we are suffering from atrocities committed by the majority community,” Unadi said.

He compared the situation in Bangladesh to other countries, noting that while governments around the world protect their minorities, the opposite is true in Bangladesh, forcing many to flee the country.

“The mentality of the people has to change so that we can live peacefully. In modern times like these, all communities must learn to coexist peacefully. We are all equals,” he added.

A protester from the Bengali Christian Association in the UK highlighted the need for equal treatment of all communities.

“I demand the interim government to amend the constitution, as it currently states that Bangladesh is a Muslim country. However, all communities fought for Bangladesh’s independence, so the country belongs to everyone,” she said.

Another protester pointed out that Bangladeshi minorities are being forced to flee due to ongoing atrocities by the majority community.

“We are gathered here because, for the past five to six days, people in Bangladesh have been torturing and burning our houses. They cannot take our country from us, and they cannot deport us. We want to live safely and peacefully in our country. The violence against minorities must stop,” he said.

Another protester shared that his home in Bangladesh had been looted and set on fire just days ago.

“My house was burned. A few days ago, many people looted our house,” he said.

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