(RNS) — At a webinar on Sunday (Aug. 11), Suhag Shukla, executive director for the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), began her presentation with a Shanti mantra: a Hindu prayer for peace.
“Let all be happy, let all be free from debilitation, let all see goodness, let no one suffer,” she told the virtual audience. “Peace within us, peace around us, peace between us.”
This universal Hindu prayer was intended for a population HAF says currently needs it the most: the Hindus of Bangladesh. Hindus, who make up only about 8% of the Muslim-majority country, have suffered targeted attacks since Aug. 5 when a student-led coup ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for what they said was an increasingly autocratic rule that favored elites and silenced dissent.
The political unrest began earlier this summer, when college students of all faiths in Bangladesh protested Hasina’s quotas, which reserved 30% of highly sought-after government jobs for descendants of veterans who fought for independence from Pakistan in 1971 with help from Hindu-majority India.
The protests turned violent as security forces cracked down and student groups turned against each other. Then attacks began targeting Hindus: a culmination of communal anti-Hindu sentiment that many advocates say has been rising in the past few decades.
Over the past week, advocacy organizations across the U.S. have held a series of protests, vigils and briefings intended to highlight those attacks.
Vigil supporting the Hindus and other religious minorities of Bangladesh in #Houston #Texas.
Our Board member Paro and Sharmishtha from the #Bangladeshi diaspora led the vigil against the continued targeting of Hindus and attacks on Hindu temples in #Bangladesh. They demanded… pic.twitter.com/0toTkWSj2X— HinduACTion (@HinduACT) August 12, 2024
More than 85 incidents of anti-Hindu violence have been reported from Bangladesh since Aug. 5, according to HinduPACT, an independent political action committee based in Washington. Most of the violence occurred in the immediate 72 hours following Hasina’s resignation when multiple Hindu temples were desecrated, businesses were looted and Hindus were attacked based on their religious identity, the group said.
HinduPACT, HAF and the Coalition of Hindus of North America are continuing to monitor attacks and consistently field messages from Bangladeshi Hindus who are spending their days “in great fear.”
From Michigan to Houston and California to Washington, D.C., members of the Indian and Bangladeshi diaspora gathered by the hundreds to raise awareness for their “Hindu brothers and sisters,” holding signs with the messages “Protect Hindu Rights,” “Religion is not a crime” and “Live and Let Live.”
Many at the protests, chanting to a soundtrack of Bengali folk songs, were clear in their message: this anti-Hindu violence must be widely recognized, and the U.S. government and law enforcement must unequivocally condemn the attacks while putting pressure on the interim Bangladeshi leaders to intervene.
“It took mere weeks for the initial ‘anti-quota protests’ in Bangladesh to devolve into targeted anti-Hindu violence,” said a representative of HinduACTION in an X post. “This shift underscores the volatility of the situation and the urgent need for international intervention.”
Along with raising awareness, some Hindus have expressed dissatisfaction with the “hypocrisy” from American governmental organizations regarding the violence. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for example, have not yet released statements. Much of the protests have been directed toward the Biden administration, as well as Biden’s National Security adviser, for remaining silent.
WATCH: Over 150 people gather in Fremont, CA from multiple organizations to demand justice for Hindus in Bangladesh. Chants of “Stop killing Hindus,” “Stop genocide of Hindus,” “We want justice,” “Hindu lives matter” and many more filled the air.#SaveHindusInBangladesh… pic.twitter.com/qWV6TwC1ys
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) August 12, 2024
“For too long, Hindu minorities have fought a lonely battle, receiving little to no support,” posted CoHNA on X. “Let’s stand up for Bangladeshi Hindus in this time of horrific atrocity.”
The organization, like HAF and HinduAction, has been urging individuals to get involved by writing to their local Congress members or joining a local protest. “Silence is not an option,” the group added. Last week, HAF members met with United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain.
So far, Hindu lawmakers across the country have spoken up, including Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Shri Thanedar and Niraj Antani.
But yet to say anything, say advocates, are Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, two of the most prominent Americans in the Indian diaspora.
Monday evening (Aug. 12), CoHNA, supported by HAF, HinduACTION and the Hindu American PAC, along with Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick, will hold a congressional briefing, where representatives will explain the complicated history between Bangladeshi Hindus and Muslims.
“The current political unrest in Bangladesh is detrimental to the country’s well-being,” said the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh of the U.S., an influential body of the Indian and Hindu community under the wing of the Indian Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “We hope for a swift resolution that fosters a democratic and pluralistic society, ensuring justice and equality for all its citizens.”
