Bangladesh Police and army attack Hindus after they protest against derogatory Facebook post on ISKCON and Sanatan Dharma by Muslim trader

Case ID : b507404 | Location : Chittagong, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh | Date of Incident : Mon, 4 November, 2024

Case ID : b507404

Chittagong, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh

4 November, 2024

Bangladesh Police and army attack Hindus after they protest against derogatory Facebook post on ISKCON and Sanatan Dharma by Muslim trader

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for Hindu identity

Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim

Hate speech against Hindus

Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith

Case Summary

On November 5, 2024, the Hindu community in Chittagong's Hazari Goli faced violent actions by law enforcement authorities after staging a peaceful protest. The protest was organized in response to derogatory remarks allegedly made by a local trader, Osman Mollah, against ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) and Sanatan Dharma. Angered by these offensive comments, members of the Hindu community gathered outside Mollah's shop to express their outrage, demanding accountability and action against him. Instead of addressing the community's concerns or initiating legal proceedings against Osman Mollah, the police reportedly placed him in "safe custody," further frustrating the protesters. In retaliation for the demonstration, a joint force of police and army officials launched a brutal crackdown on the Hindu community. Eyewitness accounts and videos from the scene revealed law enforcement officials using excessive force, including batons, to disperse the protestors. At least five Hindus sustained injuries in the attack, while approximately 30 members of the community were detained. Authorities attempted to justify their actions by alleging that the protestors had attacked them with bricks and acid, though no substantial evidence has been provided to support these claims. In a concerning turn of events, law enforcement personnel were seen destroying CCTV cameras in the area, apparently in an attempt to eliminate evidence of their actions. This deliberate act has raised serious concerns about accountability and transparency. The crackdown on the Hindu community reportedly continued into the late hours of November 6, with residents documenting the ongoing joint operation by police and army forces.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added under the prime category of- Attack not resulting in death. Under this, the first sub-category selected is- Attack 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. The second sub-category selected under the above-mentioned category is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victims. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The second prime category under which this case has been placed is- Hate speech against Hindus and within this, the sub-category selected is- Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. The removal of Sheikh Hasina from power in Bangladesh on August 5 escalated the persecution and marginalisation of the Hindu minority in the predominantly Islamic nation, intensifying what can be described as a silent genocide. Since her ouster, Islamists have carried out unchecked atrocities against Hindus, including physical violence, the destruction of temples and religious symbols, and the systematic displacement of Hindus from their ancestral lands. Over 205 attacks on Hindu temples, shops, and businesses have been recorded following Sheikh Hasina's removal as Prime Minister. Many Hindus have been brutally murdered or injured in these assaults. One such incident unfolded amidst all of this, when a Muslim trader, Osman Mollah, made derogatory remarks about ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) and Sanatan Dharma. His comments went beyond casual insults, reflecting a deep hostility aimed at demeaning and belittling Hindu beliefs and customs. Outraged, members of the Hindu community staged a peaceful protest outside Mollah's shop in Hazari Goli, Chittagong. However, instead of holding Osman Mollah accountable, Bangladeshi authorities responded by targeting the protesters. Law enforcement, including a joint team of police and army officials, launched a violent crackdown on the Hindu community, injuring at least five individuals and detaining around 30 others. Disturbingly, visuals from the scene showed authorities destroying CCTV cameras, seemingly to erase evidence of their actions. The attacks continued late into the night, leaving the Hindu community terrified and vulnerable. This incident not only underscores the ongoing plight of Hindus in Bangladesh but also highlights the systemic bias within the authorities, who, instead of safeguarding the religious minority, perpetuate their persecution. The derogatory remarks by Osman Mollah and the subsequent actions of law enforcement reflect deep-rooted animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, making this a clear case of religiously motivated hate crimes and this is why this case has been documented here, in the database.