A student-led protest in Bangladesh that began last month over a quota system for government jobs culminated last week in the downfall of Sheikh Hasina, the world’s longest serving female politician. On August 5, as crowds stormed her residence, Hasina fled to India. Bangladesh’s army backed the formation of an interim government, with the economist and Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus tapped to serve as its head.
Hundreds died as Hasina’s government sought to silence the protesters, and now the collapse of the Hasina government has led to further disorder and violence as police refuse to patrol the streets. The country’s dwindling Hindu minority, who are perceived by many Bangladeshis to have been loyal to Hasina’s government, have been the target of much of that violence. Many have fled the country, understandably fearful of the possibility of further Islamist violence against religious minorities. According to the official data, two Hindus have died. But there is reason to believe the true number is higher.
Disturbing images have surfaced, showing Hindus being lynched, stoned to death, and their homes set on fire, with many trying to escape the violence by fleeing into India. But the targeting of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority has not received anything like the attention it deserves. If not for X, the full extent of the violence might never have come to light. The mainstream media’s coverage of the violence against Hindus has been scant and dismissive.
Al Jazeera condemned coverage of the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh as “Islamophobic,” and the AFP seemed more concerned about “misinformation” over the scale of the violence than the violence itself. The New York Times ran with the headline, “Hindus in Bangladesh Face Revenge Attacks After Prime Minister’s Exit.” The word revenge was later removed.
“We stand against any racially based attacks or racially based incitement to violence,” said a spokesperson for the UN’s secretary general, avoiding any specific mention of the violence targeting Hindus by Islamists.
The takeaway—painfully obvious to Hindus in Bangladesh—is that political violence is treated differently depending on the victims in question. And in this case, with Muslims committing violence against Hindus, the world has met terrifying scenes with a shrug.
Rupa Subramanya is a reporter for The Free Press. Follow her on X @rupasubramanya and read her piece “Narendra Modi’s Plan Backfired.”
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