Bangladesh government downplays, denies large scale of persecution of Hindus

Case ID : b50745b | Location : Bangladesh | Date of Incident : Mon, 25 November, 2024

Case ID : b50745b

Bangladesh

25 November, 2024

Bangladesh government downplays, denies large scale of persecution of Hindus

Hate speech against Hindus

Denial or mocking of genocide/large-scale persecution

Case Summary

The Indian External Affairs Ministry urged the government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus. Following this, Bangladesh ‘refuted’ India’s statement regarding the arrest of ISKCON priest Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das. In a press release issued on November 26, "It is with utter dismay and a deep sense of hurt that the Government of Bangladesh notes that the arrest of Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been misconstrued by certain quarters since Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been arrested on specific charges. The Government of Bangladesh maintains that such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two neighbouring countries." Bangladesh emphasised its commitment to religious tolerance and communal harmony, citing efforts to protect the rights of all religious communities. The statement highlighted the celebration of Durga Puja as evidence of inclusivity, despite several reports of violence during the festival, including vandalism of temples and pandals by Islamists. The Bangladeshi government insisted that its judiciary is independent and that the arrest is being addressed through legal channels. However, visuals of Islamists protesting on the streets, openly calling for violence against ISKCON devotees and demanding a ban on ISKCON in Bangladesh, cast doubts on the government's claims of harmony and security. The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das at Dhaka airport drew international attention, particularly in light of the growing hostility towards Hindus and their cultural institutions in Bangladesh.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker under the prime category of- Hate speech against Hindus. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Denial or mocking of genocide/large-scale persecution. Denial or mocking of genocide/large-scale persecution/ethnic cleansing refers to the act of denying or minimizing the fact of the ethnic cleansing and/or genocide and/or religious persecution of Hindus. This often involves denying the scale, mechanisms, religious intent, or even the occurrence of the ethnic cleansing and/or genocide and/or religious persecution of Hindus. Hate speech of this kind involves the dissemination of falsehoods that deny or distort established historical facts or mock the suffering of Hindus by saying that they deserved the persecution, motivated by Hinduphobia. Denying such atrocities is not only about the denial of facts or rewriting/revising history, but it also delegitimises the religiously motivated persecution of Hindus, the religious hate/motivation/animosity that led to the persecution, and dehumanises Hindus as a religious group. Such denial of ethnic cleansing and/or genocide and/or religious persecution of Hindus not only denies the suffering but also paves the way for future/present atrocities and hate speech, inciting prejudice and violence against Hindus. It also provides a justification for violence by delinking religious animosity from religiously motivated crimes committed against Hindus. Since such denial and/or mocking of genocide/ethnic cleansing/atrocities motivated by religious animosity leads to present and future ramifications of creating more hate speech, violence, dehumanisation and delegitimisation, it would be considered hate speech under this category. The arrest of ISKCON priest Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh, coupled with the government’s dismissive response to India’s appeal for minority protection, underscores a troubling pattern of denial regarding the widespread persecution of Hindus in the country. The Bangladeshi government’s narrative of communal harmony and religious tolerance is at odds with the realities on the ground, where reports of temple vandalism, harassment of devotees, and violent Islamist protests targeting Hindu institutions paint a starkly different picture. By attributing the arrest to “specific charges” and framing concerns as "misconstrued," the Bangladeshi authorities appear to downplay or outright deny the systemic challenges faced by Hindus, including targeted hostility from radical elements. This denial not only exacerbates the vulnerability of Hindus but also reflects a broader institutional reluctance to acknowledge or address the scale of anti-Hindu violence and persecution. Such an approach perpetuates a hostile environment for Hindus, effectively sanctioning continued discrimination and violence under the guise of legal and judicial processes. This deliberate minimization of Hindu persecution highlights a deeply entrenched bias, making it a clear instance of religiously motivated discrimination, which is why this case has been added to the tracker.