Indian American members of the House of Representatives have called for Congressional hearings to address the targeted violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Shri Thanedar stated, “When Congress returns from recess, we must hold hearings to learn more about the failures to protect the Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh and how to prevent such actions from happening in the future.”
Both Thanedar and another Congressman, Raja Krishnamoorthi, sent separate letters to Blinken, urging the administration of Muhammad Yunus to put an end to the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. This violence has escalated following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as prime minister and her subsequent exile to India.
A violent student-led uprising in Bangladesh led to chaos, prompting Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Prize-winning microfinance pioneer, to assume the role of interim leader. While attacks against the government have largely subsided, Hindus, along with their businesses and temples, are increasingly becoming targets.
In his letter, Thanedar also requested Blinken grant temporary protected status to Bangladeshi Hindus and other minorities, which would allow those already in the United States to remain, even if their visas have expired, until it is safe for them to return home.
Krishnamoorthi emphasized in his letter, “Instability in this region, fueled by religious intolerance and violence, is not in the interest of the United States or our allies.” He urged Blinken to engage directly with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’ government and exert influence to help end the violence and bring those responsible to justice.
Thanedar echoed these concerns, writing, “The US has an obligation to assist this new government to ensure that the violence and civil unrest come to an end.” He further urged the Biden administration to grant persecuted Bangladeshi Hindus and other religious minorities temporary protected status as refugees.
In his letter, Krishnamoorthi also referred to “credible eyewitness reports” in Western media, including The New York Times and the BBC, documenting widespread attacks in Dhaka, major cities, and several districts. He noted that, according to the Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian Unity Council (Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad), anti-Hindu violence has now spread to 45 of the nation’s 64 districts.
Krishnamoorthi reminded the audience that anti-government protests have previously resulted in anti-Hindu violence, citing riots in 2021, 2017, and 2013 that resulted in the deaths or “disappearance” of numerous Hindus.
In the meantime, a group representing Hindu and minority communities met with the US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Rashad Hussein, to urge Washington to ensure the protection of minorities in Bangladesh. After the meeting, Anita Joshi, Director of Policy Research at the Hindu American Foundation, remarked that they told Hussein, “The United States’ silence in response to the violence against Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh has been deafening. The failure of Congress and this administration to acknowledge and condemn the violence against Hindus and other religious minorities is unacceptable.”
Other attendees at the meeting included Utsav Chakrabarti, Executive Director of HinduACTion; Priya Saha, Executive Director of the Human Rights Collective for Bangladesh Minorities; and geopolitical analyst Jay Kansara.
Rana Dasgupta, a leader of the Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad, reported earlier this week that the ongoing violence had injured about 100 Hindus, killed two, and attacked at least 10 temples.
