HfHR Urges Bangladeshi President and Military to Protect Minorities and Form Secular, Democratic Government
Hindus for Human Rights Affirms Bangladeshi Democracy
Urges President and Military to Protect Minorities and Form Secular, Democratic Government
In light of the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation after massive protests in the country, Hindus for Human Rights released the following statement:
We stand with protesters who demand the formation of a secular, democratic government that fulfills the promise of a homeland for Bengalis, regardless of religion, caste, or class. We hope that the Bangladeshi military and President will work with protesters to ensure that parliament will protect the rights of all Bangladeshis, including Bangladeshi Hindus. Historically, military-facilitated political transitions have devolved into military dictatorships, but we have faith that pro-democracy protesters in Bangladesh will keep pushing for the return of secular democracy to the country.
We are alarmed by right wing religious extremists using this moment to attack Hindus in Bangladesh, and we are likewise alarmed by reports that Hindu nationalists in India are trying to use this moment to gin up anti-Bengali Islamophobia in neighboring Indian states. We join protest leaders and the government of West Bengal in pushing back against efforts to use these historic protests to gin up communal violence on both sides of the India-Bangladesh border. We are heartened to see Bangladeshis banding together to protect Hindu communities and mandirs.
Finally, we urge the Bangladeshi government to release the thousands of individuals who were arrested during the protests. While the 200 or so Bangladeshis who have been killed will not be returned to their loved ones, we hope the government will provide reparations to their families. Justice will be realized when the authorities guilty of human rights violations in Bangladesh are held to account, including law enforcement, military, and student organizations.
As Hindus for Human Rights, we advocate for a response grounded in compassion, justice, and the protection of all communities, reflecting our commitment to the sacred principles of diversity and inclusion that are at the core of our spiritual tradition. May the people of Bangladesh have the secular, pluralist democracy that the Mukti Bahini fought for in 1971.