Hindus targeted in hate sermon: Muslim cleric in Bangladesh calls for violence and genocide of Hindus
Bangladesh 
7 March, 2025
Case Summary
A video surfaced online featuring Maulana Abdul Quddus Faruqi, a Bangladeshi Islamic cleric, openly advocating for suicide bombings in Kolkata and using highly objectionable language calling for genocide against Hindus. The 11-minute video, uploaded to the Hasan Media YouTube channel on March 8, shows Abdul Faruqi promoting the use of suicide bombers to carry out attacks in Kolkata, India. Drawing on tactics employed by the Taliban in Afghanistan, Faruqi issues direct threats of large-scale violence against Hindus. He stated, "I'll send suicide bombers to Kolkata." He further added, "There’s another verse I learned in Arabic countries, Islamic Ayat, ‘Die first, then kill the Kafirs’. This is the system the Taliban used." Although Kafir means non-Muslims, In this context Faruqi used the word kafirs to specifically refer to Hindus. Faruqi repeatedly used anti-Hindu slurs in the video, referring to Hindus as "idol worshippers" in a derogatory tone. At one point, he said, "I know how scared these Hindus get when they see blood. These idol-worshippers are terrified of blood," attempting to depict Hindus as weak and easy to target for violence. Some other anti-Hindu statements he made were:- 1. "I know their (Hindus) favourite foods are dirty things like urine, dung, and turtles. I know how little they understand, I know how weak they are physically. I know how much faith they have in their religion. I know all this. If you don’t know these things, you can't be a Muslim commander. Is that clear?" 2. "The Taliban fighters used bikes with bombs strapped to their bodies, riding straight towards army camps [in Afghanistan]. They were shot with bullets, but one bullet doesn't kill you right away. They crashed their bikes into the camp's wall, causing a massive explosion that killed 300 American soldiers and destroyed the camp. Who died first? The Muslim biker. And who did he kill? The Kafirs." 3. “If the Bangladesh army tells me now, go capture Kolkata, I’ll make a plan. Forget about using 70 fighter jets, I wouldn’t even use seven planes to take over Kolkata. Why would I need 70 planes? I know who lives there, people who worship statues," 4. “I’ll attack, and then they’ll hit me. There’s another verse I learned in Arabic countries, Islamic Ayat, ‘Die first, then kill the Kafirs’, this is the system the Taliban used to defeat two superpowers – America and Russia,"
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: - Hate speech against Hindus. Within it, 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 other sub-category relevant here is: - Call for genocide/violence against Hindus/specific sects of Hindus. Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Often, animosity against Hindus or a specific panth/sampradaya/group of Hindus or a specific ideology they hold manifests itself into hate speech and calls for genocide/violence against that specific section of Hindus. For example, it has often been seen that those who hold animosity against the Hindu faith use specific sects/sampradaya/pant of Hindus as a proxy to express hate against Hindus as a whole. It has been seen that the word ‘Hindutva’ has been used to call for violence against those who say they believe in ‘Hindutva’. It is observed that ‘Hindutva’ is only used as a proxy to call for violence against Hindus as a whole, as seen in the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference where speakers admitted that ‘Hindutva’ cannot be eradicated till ‘Hinduism’ is eradicated. The eradication of an entire faith, in turn, is a genocidal call against the entire community that practices that faith. Further, it is also observed that violence against a specific section of Hindus is made, justifying these calls by weaving exaggerated tales of historical injustices. Often, those who hold animosity towards Hindus and their faith attempt to make their animosity more palatable by justifying their hate for a specific section, claiming that they are against that particular section because of their faith in the broader community and the religion they process. Such calls for violence against specific sections of Hindus, as mentioned, is a proxy for their animosity against the entire community and the faith they profess, and therefore, would be considered hate speech under this category. This case has been added to the tracker due to the highly objectionable and provocative nature of the speech delivered by the Bangladeshi Islamic cleric. The speech was not merely anti-India; it was explicitly and deliberately targeted against Hindus with deeply offensive and dehumanising language. He used the term "idol worshippers" to describe Hindus to deliberately mock the Hindu faith, a tenet which is fundamental to Hinduism. It's a slur that has been historically used by the Abrahamic religions to demean and dehumanise polytheists, in this case, Hindus. By calling Hindus "idol worshippers", the Abrahamic faith tends to justify violence against Hindus. It must be mentioned here that the "idol worshipper" jibe, much like the increasingly common "gaumutra" slur, has become a recurring tool used by anti-Hindu bigots to ridicule and demean Hindu beliefs. Mocking cow urine is an attempt to delegitimise and belittle the Hindu faith itself. Such remarks have been observed in statements made by those who express open hostility towards Hindus, including Pulwama terrorist Ahmed Dhar, who used the slur to denigrate Hindus while justifying violence. His remark about killing CRPF soldiers because they "drink cow urine" highlights how this slur is weaponised not only to ridicule religious practices but also to justify acts of hatred and violence. The increasing use of the "gaumutra" jibe suggests a broader agenda to normalise the mockery of Hindu religious symbols, setting the stage for more direct attacks on Hindu deities and beliefs. By trivialising or ridiculing something as sacred as cow worship, it becomes easier for those with malicious intent to escalate their rhetoric into outright abuse of Hindu Gods, a pattern that has been witnessed in recent years. This slur is not simply about targeting a practice but serves as a stepping stone towards undermining the entire Hindu faith. Such slurs, often used by individuals or groups with deep-seated hostility toward Hindu beliefs and traditions, represent a calculated attempt to insult and demean what is considered sacred in Hinduism. Whether it is mocking idols and the cow, both of which hold profound religious and cultural significance, such remarks aim to undermine the sanctity of core Hindu symbols and expressions of faith. These words are not just casual insults but indicate a deeper hostility, fueled by a desire to demean and belittle Hindu beliefs and customs. As such, this incident is being categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus. Further, the Islamic cleric, also used the word “Kafirs”, in this context directed at Hindus, coupled with calling them “physically weak” and “fearful of blood,” was aimed at justifying and inciting violence against Hindus, portraying them as an easy and legitimate target for the Muslims. By quoting an Islamic ayat - "Die first, then kill the Kafirs" - the cleric attempted to provide a religious justification/duty for violence and suicide attacks against Hindus. This invokes a scriptural authority to legitimise acts of terror. He was therefore providing a religious sanction for mass violence against Hindus. These statements are not only provocative but also amount to a call for violence and potentially genocide against Hindus. His call for suicide bombings in Kolkata just because it is situated in India. This portrays his animosity towards Hindus and, by extension, animosity towards India viewed as a Hindu collectivity. Such statements go beyond mere hate speech; they amount to open calls for genocide against Hindus. The fact that this speech was delivered before a large audience in what appeared to be a public religious gathering, and then uploaded to YouTube, reflects the level of impunity with which hate speech against Hindus is being disseminated and normalised in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
