Report highlights growing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, calls for international action

New Delhi: The Centre for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights (CDPHR) on Friday presented a report on the state of minorities in Bangladesh following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

The report titled 'Bangladesh Minorities Under Siege: A Wake-Up Call for the International Community' details the incidents of violence and unrest affecting the Hindu communities in the country in the wake of the political changes.

According to the report, there were 190 reported cases of looting, 32 homes were set on fire, 16 temples were desecrated and two incidents of sexual violence were recorded between August 5 and 9 after Hasina’s resignation.

By August 20, the number of reported incidents had increased significantly, with 2,010 total cases of violence against the Hindus, including the desecration of 69 temples and attacks on 157 families, it states.

The report claims that the situation for religious minorities continued to deteriorate despite the formation of an interim government under Muhammad Yunus on August 8.

CDPHR president Prerna Malhotra, who is also the director of the Department of Hindu Studies at the Delhi University, described the situation as “a civilizational tragedy” calling for greater international attention to the plight of the minorities in Bangladesh.

The report further explores the broader geopolitical implications for India, with historian Kapil Kumar warning that the rise in radicalism in Bangladesh poses a potential security threat to neighbouring India.

It also includes several recommendations to address the violence against the minorities in Bangladesh. The report calls for the establishment of a UN-backed commission to investigate the atrocities, the deployment of peacekeeping forces and targeted sanctions against those responsible for the violence.

The report urges the Bangladeshi interim government to uphold secular constitutional values, restore minority rights and take action against the extremist groups.

Additionally, it recommends that international bodies, including Western nations and India, apply diplomatic and economic pressure to ensure the protection of the minorities.

The data in the report was collected through a combination of field investigations conducted by the CDPHR’s partners, news reports, fact-finding missions by minority organisations in Bangladesh and global media sources.

The methodology involved triangulating evidence from these diverse sources to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the reported incidents.