Tens of thousands of Hindu minority members rallied on Friday, urging the interim government in Muslim-majority Bangladesh to protect them from a recent surge in attacks and harassment and to dismiss sedition charges against Hindu leaders.
Approximately 30,000 Hindus gathered at a major intersection in Chattogram, chanting for their rights as police and military personnel secured the area. Similar protests took place across the country.
Hindu groups report thousands of attacks on the community since early August, following the toppling of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s secular government and her subsequent departure amid a student-led uprising. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, has argued that these figures are exaggerated.
In Bangladesh, Hindus make up roughly 8% of the population of nearly 170 million, with Muslims accounting for about 91%.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, a significant minority rights organization, claims that over 2,000 attacks have occurred since August 4, as the interim government struggles to maintain control.
The United Nations and various rights organizations have raised alarms over the human rights situation under Yunus’s administration.
Hindu and other minority groups contend that the interim government has failed to protect them, and they report that extremist Islamist influence has grown since Hasina’s removal from office.
The situation has drawn international attention, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern over reports of violence.
The U.S. administration under President Joe Biden is monitoring Bangladesh’s human rights status, while U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump condemned the violence in Bangladesh, calling it “barbaric” in a post on X, where he criticized attacks on Hindus, Christians, and other minorities.
Since August, Hindu activists have been holding rallies in Dhaka and other cities, calling for eight key demands, including a minority protection law, a dedicated ministry for minorities, and a tribunal to address minority oppression. They also seek a five-day holiday for their biggest festival, Durga Puja.
Friday’s demonstration in Chattogram was organized after sedition charges were filed Wednesday against 19 Hindu leaders, including prominent priest Chandan Kumar Dhar, over an October 25 rally. The arrests of two of these leaders sparked anger within the community.
The charges are linked to a rally incident where participants allegedly raised a saffron flag above the Bangladesh flag, which was seen as disrespectful to the national flag.
Meanwhile, supporters of Hasina’s Awami League and the allied Jatiya Party report being targeted since Hasina’s ouster, with Jatiya’s headquarters vandalized and set ablaze Thursday night.
Jatiya Party Chair G.M. Quader announced his supporters would continue demonstrations for their rights, despite safety concerns. A rally is scheduled for Saturday at the party’s Dhaka headquarters, focusing on rising commodity prices and allegedly false charges against leaders and activists.
Later on Friday, Dhaka police banned rallies near the Jatiya Party’s headquarters. Following this decision, the party postponed their rally to comply with the law, promising a new date soon.
This police decision came after criticism from a student group that initially opposed the rally’s approval, threatening to obstruct it.
