DHAKA, Aug 28 (IPS) – Immediately after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024, following weeks of deadly protests organised by students, people attacked the homes and temples of the Hindu community in Dacope district of Khulna, about 225 kilometres from Dhaka. They particularly targeted the homes of minorities believed to be involved in the politics of the ousted Awami League government.
At least 11 Hindu houses were attacked and vandalised in Dacope. The attackers claimed that it was a political revenge attack.
But in Dacope, local Muslim and Hindu students and the community soon joined forces to guard the homes and temples of the minorities so that they would no longer be victims of the political change of power.
From mid-June 2024, peaceful student protests in Bangladesh turned violent, leaving hundreds dead, including at least 32 children, and thousands injured. The protests were triggered by the reintroduction of a quota system for the distribution of government positions.
The government resigned in response to the protests and a civilian interim government was appointed.
In other areas, attacks were also carried out during the unrest on Awami League (AL) offices, homes and buildings of AL leaders, and temples, churches and homes of minority communities across Bangladesh.
Nur Nabin Robin, a resident of Chattogram City, said many people from minority communities, including Hindus, Buddhists and ethnic minorities, live in harmony in the port city.
But after Sheikh Hasina’s government fell on August 5, people from minority communities started feeling unsafe in Chattogram as attacks on minorities took place in different parts of the country, he said.
“So for two to three nights we patrolled the city in groups, guarding the temples and houses of the minorities so that no one could attack them. We also asked them to call us on their mobile phones if they saw any sign of an attack on them,” Robin told IPS.
Their concerns were further heightened when it emerged that most police stations in the country closed their doors after the fall of the previous government.
General students and even madrassa students came forward to protect homes and places of worship, while leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement asked their supporters to guard temples and churches, in response to concerns raised over reports of attacks on minority groups.
Jasim Uddin, a resident of Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj, told IPS that after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, mobs set fire to and vandalised houses of many AL leaders in his area. However, members of the Hindu community remained safe during the political unrest as locals voluntarily protected their temples and properties.
While national monuments and government buildings in the capital Dhaka were looted, there were no reports of attacks on temples or churches during the recent political unrest.
In Dhaka, Muslim students were found guarding the Dhakeshwari National Temple, a Hindu place of worship. A Muslim was spotted offering prayers in front of the Dhakeswari temple so that no one would attack the temple.
Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the Interim Government of Bangladesh, visited Dhakeshwari National Temple on August 13, 2024, to express his solidarity with the Hindu community. During his visit, he appealed to the minorities to have patience and remain united.
Yunus condemned the attacks on minority communities in the country as “horrible.”
Religious harmony is a long tradition among the Bengalis, with people of different religions – Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity – living together for generations.
“More than 90 percent of the people in Bangladesh do not believe in communalism. Attacks on minorities were carried out for political reasons or to gain personal interests. Those who committed looting and vandalism were not involved in the student movement,” Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an adviser to the interim government, told a gathering in Dhaka recently.
She said that madrassa students in many places in Bangladesh have protected temples, which is an example of religious harmony in the country.
Advocate Sara Hossain, honorary director of the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), said that once criminals attack minorities, everyone must protect them.
CARE CONTINUES TO REMAIN
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, chaos broke out across the country, with police officers in many places withdrawing for fear of reprisals.
According to a report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), released on August 16, 2024, reported attacks on minorities, including Hindus, especially in the days immediately following the change of government.
The OHCHR report recognised the role of student organisations and other grassroots people who formed groups to protect minorities.
It describes several attacks on minorities, including Hindus, particularly in the days immediately following the change of government. On August 5 and 6, Hindu homes and properties were reportedly attacked, vandalized and looted in 27 districts. A number of places of worship were also damaged, including an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, Khulna division, which was vandalized and set on fire.
On August 5 and 6, Hindu houses and properties in 27 districts were attacked, vandalized and looted. Many temples were also damaged, including an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, Khulna division, which was vandalized and set on fire.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) claimed that about 200-300 Hindu houses and businesses Since August 5 last year, there has been vandalism and 15-20 Hindu temples have been damaged.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
