In Bangladesh, the situation has become increasingly difficult for minority communities, particularly Hindus, following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5. Since then, at least 49 teachers from minority communities have been forced to resign from their positions, and some have even faced physical attacks, according to multiple media reports.
However, 19 of them were reinstated later, The Daily Star newspaper quoted Bangladesh Chhatra Oikya Parishad’s coordinator Sajib Sarkar as saying.
Sarkar said the religious and ethnic minorities have also faced attacks, looting, assault on women, vandalism of temples, arson attacks on homes and businesses, and killings during this period.
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After Sheikh Hasina, the 76-year-old former Prime Minister, stepped down and fled to India due to massive student protests against a job quota system, the situation for minorities in Bangladesh worsened. The student protests quickly turned violent, targeting religious and ethnic minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians.
On August 18, Around 50 students stormed the principal’s office at Azimpur Government Girls’ School and College and demanded that she and two other teachers resign.
“Before August 18, they never sought my resignation. That morning, they stormed my office and humiliated me,” Barua told the Daily Star.
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Shanjay Kumar Mukherjee, an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Governance Studies at Kazi Nazrul University, said he was forced to resign from his position, highlighting that they were “very vulnerable”, reported India Today.
Taslima Nasreen reacts to Bangladesh situation
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen hit out at the current government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, for not doing enough to protect minorities.
“In Bangladesh, teachers are forced to resign. Journos, ministers, officials of the former government are getting killed, harassed, imprisoned. Gen Z burned down industries of Ahmadi Muslims. Mazars and dargahs of Sufi Muslims are demolished by Islamic terrorists. Yunus says nothing against it,” she posted on X.
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According to the data compiled by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad organisations, members of minority communities in the country faced at least 205 incidents of attacks in 52 districts since the fall of the Hasina-led government.
With inputs from agencies
