Following violent anti-reservation demonstrations, Bangladesh’s then prime minister Sheikh Hasina had to flee Bangladesh and seek refuge in India.
Brutal Attacks on Hindus Amid Bangladesh Unrest
After leaving on August 5, rioters unleashed mayhem, killing around 600 minority Hindus, stealing their homes, burning and demolishing temples, and sexually attacking women and girls. The attackers methodically targeted Hindus. Bangladeshis defended their behavior when worldwide censure developed by asserting—a ridiculous defense—that the mob primarily targeted people who supported Sheikh Hasina or her Awami League party.
Attacks Against Minor Communities
Attacks against minority Hindus were not new. Such strikes have been somewhat regular. Hindus used to be somewhat safe under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, but they now live in terror. Hindus suffered life-threatening attacks more than 200 times throughout more than 50 regions. The situation is still terrible despite temporary Prime Minister Mohammad Yunus’s guarantee of protection for Hindus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s great concern voiced from the Red Fort on August 15, coupled with UN criticism. Promising complete safety for the Hindu community, Yunus visited the Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka.
Hindus in Bangladesh
Over 23% of Bangladesh’s population historically was Hindu. With around 13.2 million Hindus, or 7.96% of the population, Hindus remain the biggest minority community today. By 2022 numbers show Less than one percent are other minorities. With 165.1 million people living there, Muslims make up 91.08%. Hindus made more than one-third of the population one hundred years ago.
Change Since 1901
The Hindu population has been steadily declining since 1901; notable falls between 1941 and 1974. Main causes of this fall are the division and later migration. Only 344,000 Hindus stayed in West Bengal after Bengal’s division; 11.4 million Hindus stayed in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Though this view was disproved, Hindus thought they would live in what was then East Pakistan in peace. Following the horrors carried out by Pakistani forces in 1971, there was a large migration; an estimated 9.7 million Bengalis sought safety in India, over 70% of them were Hindus.
Divergent Fertility Rates
Experts observe that Bengal Muslims have traditionally had more fertility than Hindus. This difference helps to explain Bangladesh’s declining Hindu population while the Muslim count keeps rising. Concerns about the changing demographics and the geopolitical consequences of these developments abound all around. Although minorities in India enjoy liberties and safeguards not found elsewhere, the falling Hindu count in Bangladesh remains a major concern.
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