The situation in Bangladesh, a neighboring country of India, is still not normal. Protesters are attacking the homes and temples of Hindus. As a result, Hindus living in Bangladesh are trying to come to India. Consequently, hundreds of Bangladeshi citizens and Hindus have gathered at the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar. All the people are currently standing in the area that falls on the Bangladeshi side of the border. There is a barbed wire fence along the border, and a large number of BSF (Border Security Force) personnel have been deployed at the border.
Addressing the Bangladeshi citizens gathered at the border, a BSF soldier said, “If you all understand the Bengali language, then listen carefully to what I am saying. We know the problem you are facing. Everyone understands that problem. You have come here, but this is a matter of discussion. Such problems are not solved in this way. We cannot allow you to enter at our own discretion, and if you make noise like this, you won’t be able to understand what we are saying.
“The BSF soldier, explaining to the Bangladeshi citizens, said, “Senior officers from our side are also present here, and on their behalf, I want to tell you that this problem cannot be resolved in a single day. Our senior officers have spoken with your officers, and the message from your officers is that they are trying to find a solution to this problem. Therefore, we request that you all return home today.”
Hindus fleeing violence in Bangladesh
Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in violence-affected Bangladesh, minority communities, including Hindus, have been targeted. Two Hindu groups have written a letter to the interim government’s leader, Mohammad Yunus, and informed him that minorities have faced at least 205 attacks across 52 districts. They have also demanded protection.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad have presented statistics on the attacks on minorities and have requested security in an open letter addressed to 84-year-old Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus.The letter is signed by Rana Dasgupta, the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, and Basudev Dhar, the President of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad. The letter states that communal violence has created widespread fear, anxiety, and uncertainty among minorities in Bangladesh, which has also led to international condemnation.
According to leaders of the Hindu community, since the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, several Hindu temples have been targeted. Attacks have been carried out on the homes of minorities, especially Hindus, and there has been widespread vandalism. Women have also been attacked. Additionally, two Hindu leaders associated with Hasina’s party, the Awami League, have been killed.
Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh, minority Hindus are being persecuted the most. Thousands of people have started moving towards India. In response to this, the Border Security Force (BSF) has increased its vigilance along the border.