In the closing weeks of 2024, digital billboards funded by the newly formed United Hindu Council emerged across California’s Bay Area, drawing attention to alleged violence against Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh.
The billboards read: “Hindus, Buddhists, Christians living in fear in Bangladesh … Ask Yunus Why” and “Hindu monks are being arrested … Ask Yunus Why.” The messages targeted Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who currently leads Bangladesh’s interim government following the ousting and resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. Advocacy groups claim Yunus’s government has failed to protect minority communities, describing incidents of violence, including the destruction of temples and homes, physical assaults, and looting, as widespread and unchecked.
The arrest of Hindu monk and minority rights advocate Chinmoy Krishna Das has intensified global attention on the issue. Das, formerly associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, was detained in Bangladesh in November on sedition charges after allegedly disrespecting the national flag. His continued detention, denied bail as of January 2, has sparked international protests and condemnation.
Escalating Attacks and Rising Death Toll
Hindu advocacy groups in the United States have been amplifying calls for intervention, citing over 450 deaths and thousands of reported attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh since Hasina’s departure. Sewa USA, a disaster relief nonprofit, has been fundraising for the past five months to support Hindus displaced by the violence.
In October, a banner reading “End Hindu Genocide in Bangladesh” was flown over the Hudson River in an effort to draw broader public attention to the crisis.
“People are asking what they can do to make their voices heard,” said Ramya Ramakrishnan of the Hindu American Foundation in a press release. “They are frustrated with the biased media coverage that fails to capture the severity of the situation.”
U.S. Lawmakers Speak Out
This week, Democratic Congressmen Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi, both of Hindu descent, raised concerns about the violence publicly.
On January 7, Khanna posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“I had a productive call with Muhammad Yunus this morning. He assured me that Bangladesh will do everything in its power to protect Hindus and all faiths from religious persecution.”
The same day, Krishnamoorthi addressed the U.S. House of Representatives, stating:
“Hindus in Bangladesh continue to face targeted attacks—homes and businesses destroyed, temples vandalized. I have engaged with the State Department and called for stronger action during Senate hearings. We must do more to protect Bangladesh’s religious minorities. The world is watching.”
Historical Context and Demographic Decline
Hindus now make up less than 8% of Bangladesh’s population, a sharp decline from around 20% before the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. During the war, the Pakistani military and its local collaborators disproportionately targeted Hindus, resulting in the deaths of over 2 million people, according to a 2022 U.S. Congress resolution that acknowledged the genocide. Widespread sexual violence and displacement also led to a mass exodus of Bangladeshi Hindus to India, where many of their descendants reside today.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) recently criticized Yunus’s leadership on X:
“It is appalling to witness Muhammad Yunus’s continuous disregard for basic human rights and religious freedom. We call on more lawmakers to take action.”
Protests and Political Pressure Continue
Bengali American activists have organized protests at the Bangladesh Embassy, the White House, and recently at Mar-a-Lago, where President-elect Donald Trump resides. On December 27, members of the Hindu Bengali Society of Florida demonstrated outside Trump’s estate, demanding the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
“Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians are dying every day,” said Dilip Nath, a former New York City Council candidate who traveled from New York for the protest. “We are calling on President-elect Trump to intervene. This is our last option—stop the genocide in Bangladesh.”
Trump previously condemned the violence during his election campaign, posting on X:
“I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities in Bangladesh. This chaos would have never happened on my watch. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have ignored the suffering of Hindus worldwide.”
At the Florida protest, a demonstrator added: “President Trump will not stand for this, and neither will America!”
International Intervention
Hindu advocacy organizations have continued pressing for international intervention, urging U.S. lawmakers and the State Department to take a stronger stance. The situation remains volatile, with advocacy groups warning that the violence could escalate further without diplomatic pressure and intervention from global leaders.
