(Los Angeles, California — August 08, 2024) — On August 5, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a coup, triggering some of the worst political violence the country has witnessed in decades. StandWithUs writes to express its support for its Hindu friends and condemn the fundamentalist mobs who have unjustly scapegoated and targeted Bangladesh’s Hindu community, a minority which accounts for roughly 7.5 percent of the country’s population. Religious freedom is a cornerstone of democracy and the interim government must intervene to halt these attacks, restore order and protect religious minority communities.
Over the last few days, Bangladesh’s Hindu community has suffered significant losses. Deadly mobs have killed and injured scores of community members. According to WION, some “300 [Hindu] homes, businesses, [and] nearly 20 temples” were also targeted, destroyed, or desecrated. Hundreds of Hindus have reportedly since sought to flee to India in light of the ensuing violence.
The recent violence has prompted Israel’s Ambassador to India to state, “I’m troubled by the reports of atrocities against minorities, including Hindus, and against their temples in Bangladesh.”
This recent tragedy recalls painful memories of persecution that has targeted the Jewish and Hindu communities throughout the Middle East and South Asia. This unfortunate display of anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh also serves as a reminder of the importance of India and Israel for safeguarding religious minorities and religious freedom in their respective regions.
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StandWithUs (SWU) is an international, nonprofit, and non-partisan Israel education organization that works to inspire and educate people of all ages about Israel, as well as challenge misinformation and fight against antisemitism.
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