A group of Bangladeshi Hindus living abroad is asking the Indian government to take action to protect Hindu people and other minorities in Bangladesh. They are worried about the safety of Hindus after a new government took over in Bangladesh in August.
The group, called the Global Bengali Hindu Coalition, is in New Delhi to talk with Indian leaders. They held a news conference to share their concerns and suggested five main ideas to help protect Hindus, tribal people, and other religious minority groups in Bangladesh.
They want India to ask the United Nations (UN) for help, including sending peacekeepers to Bangladesh to protect these groups. They also want India to push for UN sanctions against the current Bangladeshi government, which they say does not respect the rights of minorities.
Another idea they proposed is to finish what they call an “unfinished population exchange” from the 1947 Partition. This would involve giving land back to displaced minority communities to help them resettle safely.
Additionally, they urged the Indian government to convince the new Bangladeshi government to set up safe zones in areas where Hindus live in larger numbers. They also suggested that India reevaluate its support for Bangladesh in UN peacekeeping missions.
Sitangshu Guha, one of the group’s leaders, highlighted India’s historical help during Bangladesh’s freedom struggle in 1971 and said India can play a crucial role in protecting the 20 million Hindus in Bangladesh. He emphasized that the current situation puts these Hindus at risk of disappearing.
The Indian government has already expressed its worries about the recent treatment of Hindus and the arrest of a monk in Bangladesh. However, the new Bangladeshi government claims that the reports of violence against Hindus are exaggerated and insists it has arrested many people involved in recent incidents.
Despite these claims, members of the group insist that attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh are still happening. They criticize all Bangladeshi governments for allowing this situation without offering proper protection for Hindus.
Another member, Arun Dutta, pointed out that Bangladesh relies heavily on goods from India. He said that cutting off supplies could seriously hurt the country.
The group mentioned that a recent report documented 51 incidents of violence against Hindu temples and communities in Bangladesh just between August and December this year. They reported a distressing incident where a temple was robbed, and its caretaker was killed.
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