Raja, Thanedar Urge Action Against Anti-Hindu Violence In Bangladesh

WASHINGTON DC, (ANI) –Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi and Shri Thanedar have taken a strong stance against the ongoing violence in Bangladesh, calling for immediate intervention by the US.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has written to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging him to assist the Bangladeshi government in ending the violence against Hindus in the country. In his letter, Krishnamoorthi highlighted the urgency of the situation following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 and the swearing-in of Muhammad Yunus as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government.

Krishnamoorthi spoke of the, “fluid situation in Bangladesh and the rise of coordinated anti-Hindu violence in the wake of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. Now that Muhammad Yunus is sworn in as Prime Minister for the interim government, it is of utmost urgency that the United States engage with his government for the purposes of both bringing the violence to an end and the perpetrators to justice.”

Krishnamoorthi noted it was not the first time that anti-government protests in Bangladesh had metastasized into anti-Hindu violence. “The anti-Hindu riots in October 2021 left nine people dead amidst the destruction of hundreds of homes, businesses, and temples. In 2017, more than 107 Hindus were killed and 37 ‘disappeared’ according to Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote. The anti-Hindu riots of 2013, following the International Crimes Tribunal conviction of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Sayeedi for war crimes, were especially destructive,” he pointed out.

Krishnamoorthi concluded, “Instability in this region, fueled by religious intolerance and violence, is clearly not in the interest of the United States or its allies.”

Congressman Shri Thanedar also voiced his concerns on August 8, calling for an end to the violence in Bangladesh and describing the current turmoil as a severe threat to the country’s democracy. Thanedar expressed deep concern over the recent unrest and attacks on minority communities, stating, “The ongoing turmoil engulfing Bangladesh is horrific and a threat to its democracy. Last month, students led protests for civil reforms, which was followed by the deaths of hundreds and the persecution of minority populations, including Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians.”

Thanedar further emphasized his concern over attacks targeting the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. “I am especially concerned about reports of attacks targeting the country’s Hindu minority. Accounts of temples destroyed, homes leveled, and individuals targeted are as disturbing as they are reprehensible,” he added.