The United Tripura Correspondent Anupam Pal : In 1971, Bangladesh broke free from Pakistan’s chains through a bloody Liberation War. The core principles of this war were secularism, equality, and human rights. However, 53 years later, Bangladesh’s Hindu community has yet to experience the true essence of this independence. For this marginalized group, the promise of freedom has remained nothing more than an unfulfilled commitment.
At the time of independence in 1971, Hindus made up approximately 22% of Bangladesh’s total population. However, according to 2024 statistics, this figure has plummeted to a mere 8%. Experts believe this drastic decline over five decades is due to genocide, persecution, forced religious conversion, land grabbing, and social discrimination.
The Hindu minority in Bangladesh has faced various forms of persecution, including attacks on homes, land grabbing, vandalism of religious sites, rape, and murder.
The appropriation of Hindu-owned property began during the Pakistan era with the enactment of the “Enemy Property Act.” Although this law was renamed the “Vested Property Act” in independent Bangladesh, it continued to serve as a tool for confiscating Hindu property.
Attacks on temples and religious structures have become a regular occurrence. During festivals like Durga Puja, incidents of idol desecration, arson at worship sites, and targeted assaults are reported frequently.
Kidnapping, rape, and forced conversion of Hindu women have repeatedly made headlines in Bangladesh. Such atrocities have created a pervasive sense of insecurity within the community.
Despite repeated calls for action, the Bangladeshi government has failed to provide adequate protection for the Hindu community. In most cases, perpetrators go unpunished.
During the Liberation War, Bangladesh committed to building a secular state. However, subsequent removal of secularism from the constitution and the declaration of Islam as the state religion further marginalized the Hindu community.
Veteran Hindu rights activists remark, “The independence for which we sacrificed our children, brothers, and relatives has today become another form of subjugation for us.”
The plight of Bangladesh’s Hindu community is not merely a communal issue; it is a significant human rights concern. If the Bangladeshi government does not take strict measures to protect minority communities, their existence will face even greater threats.
What is needed is religious harmony and the establishment of justice. The international community must also play an active role in addressing this issue.
For Bangladesh’s Hindu community, the past 53 years of independence have cast a long shadow of subjugation.
