Hindus are being extorted for gold, money, and even girls

Attacks on Hindus continue in Bangladesh

Dhaka (Bangladesh) – Even after the establishment of the Interim Government, violence against Hindus continues in Bangladesh. Hindus are being extorted for gold, money, and even girls. As a result, the affected Hindus are seeking visas to India and are prepared to cross the border even without them if necessary. An investigation by representatives of the daily ‘Bhaskar’ in Bangladesh has brought many incidents to light.

A Hindu individual reported that on the 15th August, 10 to 12 men on motorcycles, armed with knives, hammers, and sickles, arrived at his home. When they realised that he was not there, they left but began threatening him over the phone, forcing him to hide at a relative’s place.
In Jessore, two Hindus involved in the fish farming business reported being extorted for Rs 2,00,000 to 3,00,000, with threats of kidnapping their children if they did not comply. They said, “There is no future for us in Bangladesh, and we want to leave all our land and property behind and settle in India.” Their work has also come to a halt.

A Hindu worker at a fish farming establishment reported that his employer is being threatened. They are being told, “Get money from your employer, or else take his cows.” The people threatening the employer are known to the Hindus working in the establishment and are associated with the Bangladesh National Party (BNP). They are demanding gold, money, and girls. Many girls have been raped, but they cannot speak out about their plight. Even though they have paid money to BNP members, they have no trust in the new Government. Hindus cannot get jobs in Bangladesh anymore. The Government officials themselves are harassing them. The military and Police are nowhere to be found. Even a primary school teacher has been attacked and had to flee. The temples in the villages need to be protected. Police officers are unwilling to meet the affected Hindus.

A student reported that houses of minorities in Bangladesh are being marked, and their residents are being extorted. This student’s elderly parents live in Chittagong.
A Hindu engineering graduate who studied in Maharashtra and was working in Dhaka reported that his family has been told to leave Bangladesh. Someone demanding Rs 5,00,000 identified himself over the phone as a member of an Islamic group. Other Hindus are receiving similar calls.

Editorial Perspective

It is a fact that attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh will not stop because they have been ongoing since 1947 (since the creation of East Pakistan) and will continue until Hindus are wiped out. No one has made efforts to save them in all these years, nor is anyone doing so now, and it is unlikely anyone will in the future.