Indian-American lawmaker seeks US intervention to stop 'coordinated attacks' on Hindus in Bangladesh

Washington: Urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to bring an end to the "coordinated attacks" against Hindus in Bangladesh, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar has requested the US government to grant temporary protected status as refugees to the "persecuted" members of the minority community.

Members of minority communities in Bangladesh faced at least 205 incidents of attacks in 52 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, according to two Hindu organisations -- Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad -- in the violence-hit nation.

In his letter dated August 9 to Blinken, the Congressman from Michigan said he is not alone in his stance against the atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh. Many in the international community, including some from his own district, have condemned the violent actions being committed against minority groups in Bangladesh.

“With Muhmmad Yunus stepping up as the interim Prime Minister for Bangladesh, the United States has an obligation to assist this new government, to ensure that violence and civil unrest comes to an end. I urge the Biden administration to grant persecuted Bangladesh Hindus and other religious minorities temporary protected status as refugees,” Thanedar wrote to Blinken on Friday.

A number of Hindu temples, households and businesses were vandalised, women assaulted and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with the Awami League party headed by Hasina were killed in the violence in Bangladesh after she fled the country, according to community leaders in Dhaka.

“When Congress returns from recess, we must hold hearings to learn more about the failures to protect the Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh, as well as how to prevent these horrific actions from taking place again in the future," he said.

Thanedar urged Blinken to work closely with Yunus and his government to bring "an end to the coordinated attacks against the Bangladesh Hindus”.

Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel laureate, was sworn in on Thursday as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh.

Thanedar underlined that Yunus has called for an end to the violence and welcomed his willingness to rebuild the country.

"This is a critical time for Bangladesh, and we must do everything we can to support them in their efforts to bring an end to the violent actions and rhetoric being targeted towards Hindus in the country," said the Indian-American lawmaker.

Last year, Thanedar founded the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain American Congressional Caucus, to raise the voice of the Hindus and other religious minorities in the US and other parts of the world.

Political violence in Bangladesh is not a new phenomenon; the country has experienced many coups and leadership changes since its inception in 1971, he wrote.

Targeting of its Hindu population is also not new. Hindus only make up eight per cent of Bangladesh’s population, exposing this minority to risk of discrimination and violence, the Congressman said.