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Rising Anti-Hindu Violence In Bangladesh Post-Coup: Leaked Telegram Messages Reveal Islamist Agenda

August 20, 2024
The Commune

Leaked Telegram messages from private Jamaat-e-Islami and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)  groups reveal a disturbing campaign to marginalise and expel Hindus from Bangladesh following the August 5 coup. These messages outline a strategy to remove Hindu officials, frame their persecution as a political conspiracy, and exacerbate violence against the community. The reports also highlight the troubling role of extremist groups in providing security to police officers.

Leaked Telegram Messages

In the aftermath of the recent coup in Bangladesh that led to the ousting of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a surge of violence has been unleashed against the country’s minority Hindu population. Both ordinary Hindus and those in positions of power have become targets of brutal attacks by Islamist factions, with reports suggesting a coordinated effort to marginalise and expel Hindus from Bangladesh.

Leaked messages from private Telegram groups, particularly those associated with the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, have surfaced, revealing a disturbing agenda aimed at systematically weakening and eliminating the Hindu community from the country.

One of the messages, allegedly circulated within a pro-Jamaat group and forwarded from a private BNP channel, outlined a chilling strategy: “If we want to create a Bangladesh free from Hindus, we must first force all the major Hindu government officials to resign and ensure that Muslims are recruited instead. This will weaken the resolve of ordinary Hindus, and they will be forced to leave for India. We have started our work; if you know any such Hindu public servants, then please help us by providing information.”

This revelation highlights a coordinated attempt to purge Hindus from influential positions within the government, thereby destabilizing the community and compelling them to flee the country.

On 11 August 2024, a message shared in a private BNP Telegram group and later forwarded to a Jamaat-e-Islami public channel called for Hindus to be “taught a lesson so they never find the courage to protest again.” The message further suggested framing the persecution of Hindus as a political conspiracy orchestrated by the Awami League. The strategy also included plans to infiltrate Hindu protests with individuals carrying Awami League flags to discredit their cause and further exacerbate their plight.

The messages also expose a celebratory tone among BNP members regarding the lynching of Hindus. One particular message, initially shared in a private BNP Telegram channel and then forwarded to a Jamaat-e-Islami public channel, demonstrated how certain factions within the BNP were openly rejoicing at the brutal violence against Hindus.

These leaked communications underscore the growing threat to the Hindu community in Bangladesh, as extremist groups exploit the political turmoil following the coup to intensify their campaign against religious minorities.

How Law Enforcement Agencies In Bangladesh Submitted Themselves To BNP & Jamaat

After attacking and killing police officers under the guise of ‘anti-government protests,‘ Islamists began assuming the role of ‘protectors’ for these same officers.

According to a report by ‘Jugantar,‘ members of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were seen providing security to police stationed at Begumganj Chowki in Noakhali, as confirmed by BNP leaders Mohammed Ahsanullah and Morshdul Amin Faisal.

Following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on 5 August 2024, extremists launched an attack on the Begumganj police station. In response, Jamaat and BNP took it upon themselves to safeguard the officers there.

Religious minorities, terrorised by these Islamist groups, found themselves unable to seek police assistance, as the police were relying on these extremists for their own protection. Compounding the issue, 2,200 BNP and Jamaat members, previously arrested for causing chaos during ‘anti-quota protests,’ were released on bail.

The leaked messages have further fueled fears of an organized campaign to drive out Hindus, exacerbating an already dire situation for religious minorities in Bangladesh. It remains to be seen whether the interim government will take action to protect the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh- will Prof. Yunus address this on an urgent basis?

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