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Dhaka Tribune Editor Claims Bangladeshi Hindus Are Not In Danger And Gaslights Hindus In India, Here Are Several Instances That Shows Otherwise

August 26, 2024
The Commune

In a recent article published in the Dhaka Tribune, Editor Zafar Sobhan downplayed the persecution faced by the Hindu community in Bangladesh since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Sobhan’s piece paints a picture of a peaceful, democratic movement in Bangladesh, emphasising the role of “committed, conscientious patriots” who are supposedly far from being Islamists or militants. However, his narrative starkly contrasts with the reports on the ground, where Hindus are the targets of violence, looting, and arson.

Sobhan’s Misleading Narrative

Sobhan’s portrayal of the situation is problematic. He asserts that Bangladeshis, including the students leading the movement, are “God-fearing, law-abiding men and women who simply want to live their lives in peace and harmony with their neighbours.” Yet, the reality for many Hindus in Bangladesh is anything but peaceful. We have reported the situation in Bangladesh ever since the 5 August 2024 coup took place – Hindu temples being vandalised, homes being torched, and members of the community living in fear for their safety.

Here are a few of those instances.

On 5 August 2024, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council published a report. This report details a series of attacks on Hindu temples, homes, and businesses across the country amid ongoing political unrest. According to the Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus on social media platform X, these assaults occurred within a five-hour window. However, the actual number of incidents might be higher than those listed.

Reports of Hindu Persecution

  • Sherpur: The residence of the president of the Sribardi Upazila Youth Unity Council was attacked, vandalised, and looted.
  • Khulna: Multiple properties were targeted, including the homes of Shyamal Kumar Das, Swajan Kumar Das, Biman Bihari Amit, Animesh Sarkar Rinku, and Jayanta Gain. Properties in Darpara, Koyra, were also attacked.
  • Feni: The Durga Temple was attacked, and in Dinajpur, the Fulthala cremation ground was forcibly occupied by Islamist mobs. Five temples, including the Kali Mandir in Parbatipur, were vandalised, and homes in Setabganj Bochakganj and Dhalla village were looted.
  • Lakshmipur: The house and office of Deepak Saha, leader of the Puja Celebration Council, were attacked and looted. Additionally, homes in Agarupur village and Rauzan, Chattogram, were burned and attacked.
  • Jashore: Three homes in Dhopaidi Palpara village were set on fire, and 22 shops, including Babul Saha’s warehouse, were vandalised in Narikel Bariya, Bagharpara.
  • Satkhira: Shops belonging to minorities in Kolaroa were looted, and the homes of Biswajit Sadhu and Dr. Subrata Ghosh were attacked and burned.
  • Shayestaganj Bazaar, Habiganj: Asit Baran Das’s shop was vandalised and looted. Minority homes in Lohagara, Narail, faced similar violence.
  • Bogra: Several minority shops in Tilpatti and Bargola were vandalised and looted, and Islamists targeted Dr Gautam Kumar Mondal’s home in Sahapukur.
  • Patuakhali: The Radha Govinda Temple in Kuakata was attacked, and Ananta Mukherjee’s house was vandalised and looted. Similar attacks occurred in Panchagarh’s Sadar.
  • Noakhali: The house of Sahadev Roy in Sonadia, Hatiya, was attacked and looted. Minority homes in Thakurgaon’s Sadar and Pirganj’s cremation temple were also targeted.
  • Jhenaidah: Ongoing violence affected ten minority families in Chaklapara municipality, with shops in Kotchandpur also attacked.
  • Hathuria, Bera Thana, Pabna: Multiple minority homes were attacked, vandalised, and looted.
  • Nilphamari: Minority homes in Bamunia Union, Domar Upazila, faced attacks, vandalism, and looting, including an attempted attack in Barakali Bari.
  • Shariatpur: The Dhanuka Temple in the Sadar area was vandalised, with nearby minority homes also affected.
  • Lalmonirhat: Amiya Prasad’s house in Panchagram Union was attacked, and in Mymensingh, Shyamal Pal’s home in Ward 32 of Shambhuganj was assaulted.
  • Netrokona: The Ramakrishna Mission and ISKCON temple in the Sadar area were attacked, along with nearby minority homes.
  • Faridganj Upazila, Chandpur: Haripada Das’s house was attacked and looted, and an attempted attack was reported at Ram Doctor’s house in Araihazar, Narayanganj.

Bangladeshi Hindus Send Indians Distress Messages

It was so distressing that Hindus in Bangladesh sent distress messages to people in India via social media.

Just recently, Hindu professors were forced to resign by their Islamist students.

Sobhan’s claim that the violence against Hindus was a mere consequence of a brief period of anarchy is a gross understatement of the terror faced by the minority community.

Furthermore, Sobhan attempts to dismiss the severity of the attacks on Hindus. He suggests that the reports of Muslims and Hindus teaming up to protect temples and neighbourhoods were “far more typical, widespread, and noteworthy” – well, who are they protecting the communities and temples from?

Sobhan is either too naive or pretends the world doesn’t exist because he has closed his eyes.

His assertion ignores the gory violence and the deep-seated religious intolerance that has led to repeated attacks on Hindus. These attacks occurred not just in the recent chaos. They have happened historically in Bangladesh, be it 1946 Direct Action Day, the Noakhali Hindu genocide, the 1947 partition, the 1971 genocide, and the 1992 – post-Babri riots. They happened as recently as 2021, when lies were spread about blasphemy.

Gaslighting India

One of the most disturbing aspects of Sobhan’s article is his attempt to shift blame onto India. He accused New Delhi of being complicit in the misrule of Sheikh Hasina’s government. He states that the Bangladeshi people hold India responsible for the “autocratic Awami League misrule” and alleges that India’s support for Hasina encouraged her to commit atrocities. The article not only deflects attention from the real issues at hand but also fosters anti-India sentiment, which can further endanger the already vulnerable Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Sobhan insists that India is still “batting for Hasina” and that it has failed to come to terms with the reality of the situation in Bangladesh, which is another attempt to vilify India while downplaying the crisis facing Hindus. Sobhan asserts that Bangladeshis prefer the current situation to the previous government’s “rampant criminality and corruption“. However, he fails to address the fact that for many Hindus, the problem remains dire, with their lives and livelihoods under constant threat.

A Dangerous Denial Of Reality

Zafar Sobhan’s article is not just misleading but dangerous. By downplaying threats faced by Hindus and blaming ‘external forces’, he is ignoring the plight of the minority community. He is also contributing to a narrative that could further endanger them.

Sobhan seems to be following the playbook of the ‘far-left western media’. They, too, have been downplaying the atrocities committed against the Hindus in Bangladesh.

**Improved text:**

“It is imperative to acknowledge the genuine threats Hindus face in Bangladesh. We cannot dismiss their suffering as a mere byproduct of temporary unrest or shifting blame elsewhere.

The international community has largely remained silent. It is time that it recognizes these attacks as targeted acts of violence against a vulnerable minority. And respond decisively to safeguard those at risk.

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