Rep. Krishnamoorthi wants Washington to engage with Bangladesh about violence against Hindus

August 11, 2024

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A demonstrator displays a placard during a protest against what they say violence against Hindu communities during ongoing unrest, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 9, 2024. REUTERS/Fatima Tuj Johora

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken August 8, 2024, urging him to engage directly with the interim government of Bangladesh to end the recent outbreaks of violence, including the targeting of Hindus, and to bring those responsible to justice.

Describing it as a “rise of coordinated anti-Hindu violence” following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, and the swearing-in of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus as Chief Adviser for the interim government, Krishnamoorthi said it was a matter of “utmost urgency” to engage with the new government to bring the violence to an end.

Credible eyewitness reports of the anti-Hindu attacks in the New York Times, Times of India, BBC, Reuters among other media outlets demonstrate the scale of the attacks, the Indian American Congressman said. He also noted the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council informing Reuters “that 45 out of 64 districts in the country had seen the targeting of mostly Hindu homes, businesses or temples this week.” Reuters also has reported hundreds of Hindus attempting to flee Bangladesh into India as a result of the religious violence.

He recalled a similar situation in October 2021, and prior to that in 2017 when the situation was even worse and more than 107 Hindus were killed and 37 “disappeared” according to Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote. Plus, the anti-Hindu riots of 2013, following the International Crimes Tribunal conviction of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Sayeedi for war crimes, which were especially destructive.

Calling such violence “clearly not in the interest of the United States or our allies,” Krishnamoorthi said, “I urge you engage directly with Chief Adviser Yunus’ government and exert our influence to help his government end the violence and bring those responsible to justice.

Several other organizations in the US, including Hindu American Foundation, have also drawn attention to the issue.