US Advocacy Groups Condemn Violence Against Bangla Hindus

India-Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – The religious advocacy group HinduPACT has strongly condemned the violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh, which has resulted in the tragic deaths of two councilors and the desecration of the Kali temple and ISKCON temple during anti-government protests in the country.

The organization called these acts not only an attack on individuals but a broader assault on the Hindu community’s pluralistic beliefs. “We stand in solidarity with the Hindu community in Bangladesh and demand immediate action from the Bangladeshi government to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safety and security of all its citizens, irrespective of their religious beliefs,” their statement read.

Deepti Mahajan, co-convenor of HinduPACT, expressed grave concern over the situation, saying, “With the coup in Bangladesh, the 10 million Hindus are sitting on a ticking bomb of genocide. Reports are coming in from inside Bangladesh of unimaginable torture, killings, and burning of Hindu temples.”

“This instability in the region is extremely dangerous for democracies like India and an inevitable threat to the Hindus in Pakistan as well. We need the eyes and ears of all Western countries on this instability in Asia and demand the safety of the minorities in Bangladesh,” she asserted.

Ajay Shah, president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad America(VHPA) and co-convenor of HinduPACT, also commented on the severity of the situation. “This incident is a grim reminder of the atrocities committed against Hindus during the 1971 genocide, where an estimated 300,000 Hindus were brutally killed. The echoes of such historical horrors underscore the urgent need for vigilance and protection of religious minorities.”

The Hindu America Foundation too said the situation in Bangladesh was deeply concerning. Its Director of Policy Research Anita Joshi said, “These attacks are heartbreaking, but unsurprising. It is well documented that prior to the toppling of Sheikh Hasina’s government, Bangladesh’s Hindu population has been targeted and harassed in sections of the country for many years now. The Bangladesh military is reportedly forming an interim government, and so we urge local law enforcement and military leadership to ensure the safety of all Bangladesh’s religious minorities, protecting their homes, business, and places of worship in this moment of turmoil.”