As Trump condemns Hinduphobic attacks worldwide, here is a long list of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and US

Despite years of increasing Hinduphobia, world leaders and international media have largely overlooked these issues. Historically, this lack of attention has been attributed to the Hindu community’s limited influence as a cohesive voting bloc. However, over the past decade, the influence and significance of the Hindu diaspora worldwide have grown substantially. 

Recognizing the importance of unity, the Hindu diaspora has strengthened its collective voice, further bolstered by the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has enhanced the global standing of Hindus. Today the Hindu diaspora stands in a respectable position on the world stage. 

On the 31st of October, Donald Trump came up to condemn the rampant attacks on Hindus around the world including Bangladesh and US making him the first US leader other than Vivek Ramaswamy to speak against persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. The statement of Donald Trump is crucial for the Hindu community in the fight against Hinduphobia. 

TFI media has been closely monitoring the rise in Hinduphobia and tracking attacks on the Hindu community. As Donald Trump condemns Hinduphobic attacks worldwide, here is a long list of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the US:

Rampant attacks on Hindu temples in US

1. Sherawali Temple vandalized

In January of this year, the Vijay Sherawali Temple in Hayward, California, was targeted in a troubling act of vandalism, where pro-Khalistani slogans were spray-painted on its walls. Messages such as “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Modi is a terrorist” appeared on the temple’s exterior, sending a wave of concern through the local Hindu community. 

2. BAPS Swaminarayan temple desecrated 

In a shocking incident, recently the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Sacramento, California was desecrated with anti Hindu graffiti on the night of September 25. Hateful slogans like “Hindu Go back”, “Modi and Jaishankar are terrorists” were plastered on the walls. The desecration comes at the back of the defacing of the BAPS temple in New York just a few days back, as hate crimes against Hindus in the US continues to rise.

3. Racist groups attack Hanuman Temple

A few months back, a Christian group stirred controversy by protesting a 90-foot statue of the Hindu deity Hanuman at the Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. During the protest, which occurred only a week after the unveiling, church members disrupted the peace by involving temple visitors in theological debate and prayer aimed at undermining the Hindu idol, some of the protesters even shouted slogans like “May all the false gods burn to the ground.”

Despite pleas from the temple leaders for tolerance and peace, the harassment was so extreme that they were forced to weigh the necessity of hiring full-time security, and installing surveillance to assure the safety of the temple and devotees.

4. Vandalism of Maa Durga idols

As Durga Puja drew near, the idol of Maa Durga at the Batrish Gopinath Jiur Akhara in Kishoreganj was found vandalized. In another incident in the Comilla district, the Durga idol at a local temple was also damaged, and the temple’s donation box was looted.

5. Petrol bomb hurled at Maa Durga idol 

On the 11th of October amid Durga Puja celebrations, petrol bomb was thrown at a Durga Puja mandap in the Tanti Bazar neighbourhood in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. When the Hindu devotees present attempted to intervene, the assailants assaulted them with knives before making their escape. The attack was captured on CCTV footage.

6. Goddess Kali crown gifted by Indian PM stolen 

The Goddess Kali crown gifted by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi  at the Jeshoreshwari Temple in Bangladesh’s Satkhira was stolen on the 10th of October. The Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star stated that the silver, gold-plated crown was stolen at around 2 pm shortly after the temple priest had left following the day’s worship. The cleaning staff later discovered that the crown was missing from the deity’s head. This crown was gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bangladesh in March, 2021.

7. Purging out of Hindu teachers and academicians 

It has been widely reported that Hindu teachers and academicians have been purged on a massive scale with over 100 of them being forced to resign by Islamist mobs who stormed and held them hostage in their offices.

Ever since Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down and Muhammad Yunus took over Bangladesh, reports from across Bangladesh paint a grim picture of the situation for Hindu communities, who are being constantly targeted because of their religious identity. The world since years have turned a blind eye upon the genocide of Hindus and the rising Hinduphobia. Trump getting up against the rising Hinduphobia gives a new hope to the Hindu community to continue their fight against Hinduphobia.

8. Interim government’s Talibani decree restricting sound system during ‘Azan’: A blatant assault on the Religious freedom of Bangladeshi Hindus

The Interim government’s apathy towards the Bengali Hindu community, rather an abject pandering to Islamist forces had also emboldened the Islamist elements in Bangladesh. Ahead of the Durga Puja, the Interim government had passed a decree asking the Hindus to stop Puja and sound systems at least 5 minutes before and during the Namaz and Azan. While claiming protection and assurance to the Hindus, the government stated that ‘non-Hindus’ would be recruited as volunteers to protect the Durga Puja Pandals. 

While the order seemed benign and assuring to the Hindus, there were apprehensions of a repeat of the infamous 2021 violence that was meted out against Durga Puja after an Islamist miscreant, Iqbal Hossain, willfully but clandestinely placed the Quran at the feet of Goddess Durga which led to hate-mongering against the Hindu community. 

As the Islamists wildly peddled the video of the Quran kept at the feet of the temple’s idol with misleading and hate-mongering claims, several Muslim mobs instigated communal violence against Hindu communities across Bangladesh that continued for several days. As per reports, more than 50 temples and pandas were vandalised all over Bangladesh with scores of other attacks going unreported. 

9. Threats and systemic violence against Durga Puja celebrations

Furthermore, ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations, Islamist miscreants had carried out large-scale vandalism and damaged scores of idols of Goddess Durga being made for the festival celebration and reverence. Additionally, the Bangladesh Durga Puja Committees had received threatening messages that demanded extortion for holding Durga Puja festivities. They warned that if the committees failed to pay 5 lakh takas, they would chop the Hindu devotees to pieces. 

According to reports, the Bengali Hindu community in Khulna was asked to pay 5 lakh Bangladeshi taka (nearly, Rs 3,50,726) to celebrate Durga Puja. The letter threatened that if the Hindus reveal this to the government or the media, they will be beheaded. The letter read, “We swear upon Allah, if we do not get the money, we shall chop you to pieces. We have eyes on you.” 

10. Bangladeshi Hindu Genocide 

Strikingly, in Bangladesh, the spree of violent attacks and religious persecution of Hindus intensified on 5th August, this year following the violent ouster of elected PM Sheikh Hasina.

Even after 90 odd days, large-scale targeted attacks on religious minorities, particularly, Hindus continue unabashedly in the anarchy gripped nation. In the past few months, Islamist miscreants have indulged in vandalism and targeted Hindu temples all across Bangladesh, with over 200 incidents of killing, lynching, vandalism, loot, and sexual assault being reported in the first few days after the violent ouster unfolded in the country. 

Ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations, the Islamist groups had also issued blatant threats against the public celebration of Durga Puja – the largest religious festival of the Bangladeshi Hindu community.

According to media reports, the Islamist groups had asked the Bengali Hindu community to publicly display anti-India remarks and banners outside temples and Durga Puja Pandals alleging that “India is the enemy of Bangladesh”. They had also issued a list of 16 demands including threatening Hindus to not publicly celebrate Durga Puja. Videos on social media showed radical groups in Bangladesh protesting against Durga Puja celebrations. They took to the streets, shouting slogans like “Pujo hote debo na” (won’t allow Durga Puja).