Bangladesh's interim government prohibits recruitment of Hindus into the police department
Bangladesh 
30 December, 2024
Case Summary
The Home Ministry in Bangladesh issued an order barring the appointment of Hindus to police positions, from constables to senior roles, sparking widespread concern among minority communities. Reports stated that many Hindu candidates who successfully passed the BCS examination were excluded from recruitment. According to reports, over 100 Hindu officers at the posts of Assistant Police Superintendent (ASP), Superintendent of Police (SP), and DIG have been dismissed from service. These positions are being earmarked for members of radical Islamist groups, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami. According to Sangbad Pratidin, a notification issued on October 15, 2023, was cancelled, leading to the removal of 168 cadres, most of whom were Hindus. In total, 267 candidates were excluded, the report suggests. However, several other reports suggest that as many as 1,500 Hindu candidates were denied jobs. Recruitment to higher administrative posts in Bangladesh is conducted through the BCS exam, and the exclusion of Hindu candidates drew sharp criticism. This move highlighted allegations of systemic discrimination against the Hindu minority under the interim government of Mohammad Yunus. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Bangladesh's home advisor and supporter of Jamaat-e-Islami, defended the action, stating that as a Muslim-majority country with 90% Muslims, Bangladesh would prioritize Muslims for police and government jobs.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker under the prime category of- Attack not resulting in death and within this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh has plunged into chaos as Islamist extremists have taken advantage of the political turmoil to unleash a wave of terror and violence against the Hindu community. The Islamist mobs have attacked Hindu homes, burned them to the ground, and abducted women in a horrific descent into anarchy. Several temples have been destroyed in the area in a major crackdown on Hindus. Further, the arrest of three Hindu priests has exacerbated the situation with Hindu minorities protesting across Bangladesh seeking justice. Amid all of this, the Bangladesh interim govt passed a diktat that prohibits the recruitment of Hindus into the police department. This case can be categorised as a hate crime against Hindus because the systemic discrimination against Hindu candidates in Bangladesh, especially in police recruitment, targets individuals based on their religious identity. The exclusion of qualified Hindu candidates from police positions, despite their success in exams, reflects a clear intent to marginalise Hindus and deny them opportunities due to their faith. This deliberate action, which benefits Islamist groups and excludes Hindus, is rooted in religious animosity, making it a direct attack on their identity and rights. This sort of systemic exclusion of Hindus from critical positions based solely on their religious identity sends a clear and hostile message to the entire community. It is a tactic to intimidate; instil fear and disrupt the cohesion and morale of the community. Such attacks are a form of symbolic aggression against the Hindu community that stems from an innate hatred for Hinduism. Consequently, this case has been added to the tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
State and Establishment
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
