ICHRRF Holds Open Hearing on Persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh

On 18 Dec 2021, the International Commission of Human Rights and Religious Freedom held an virtual open hearing on the persecution of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. ICHRRF is a US-based human rights advocacy organization.

Testimonies were given by Dr. Richard Benkin, Mr. Utsav Chakrabarti, Prof. Chandan Sarkar, Mr. Dipan Mitra, Ms. Arti Agarwal and Prof. Dwijen Bhattacharjya.

Arti Agarwal is the founder of the Hindu Genocide project (this website), and called for the recognition of genocide and ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Bangladesh, with data and facts.

Full Text of Speech by Arti Agarwal

“Ladies and gentlemen of the committee and everyone present: I thank you for providing me this opportunity to speak in your midst. I am Arti Agarwal, an author and researcher and Director of Ishittva Dharma Sansthapan Foundation, India. I have worked extensively on documenting violations of Hindu Human Rights around the world.

I am here today to bring to your attention the gross violations of human rights of the Hindu minorities of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, as a country, has seen violations of Hindu human rights since the very inception of the state. The 1971 war saw the brutal murder of atleast 2.5 million Hindus, the mass exodus of atleast 8 million Hindus and the rapes of atleast 200,000 Hindu women—who were all selectively targeted by the Pakistan army and extremists based on their religious identity.

Since the formation of the state, the population of Hindus in Bangladesh has been dwindling, down to 8.5% (as per estimates) in 2011 census from 18.5% as per 1961 census.

As per the studies of Dr Barakat, from 1964 to 2013, approximately 11.3 million Hindus left Bangladesh due to religious persecution. At least 22 indigenous groups have disappeared from the country. Santu Larma, chairman of the CHT Regional Council, claims that over 50 indigenous groups are on the verge of extinction.

Bangladeshi Hindus have faced 3,679 attacks in 9 years. That is more than an attack per day on average, for 9 years at a stretch.

This shocking pattern of ethnic cleansing has continued unabated for years, and the recent wave of violence against Hindus from 13-24 October, 2021, is an example of what Hindus face in Bangladesh. Starting Durga Puja, a Hindu religious festival, more than 14 Hindus were brutally murdered. Atleast 1650 homes were vandalized and arsoned. Atleast 343 Hindu temples were vandalized and gutted. More than 26 Hindu women were raped, including minor girls. Women had no role to play in this conflict—real or imagined. When women are raped based on their religious identity, it is an act of hate and hate alone.

This type of ethnic cleansing is reminiscent of the persecution of the Jewish community by the Nazis in the 1930s right before the complete holocaust. Ignoring this persecution is tantamount to ignoring the persecution of Jews in the 30’s. Non-recognition of ethnic cleansing facilitates further genocides.

When a person is murdered or raped, it is not merely that person alone who suffers. The lives of all those who love them are affected—the trajectory of their lives is altered forever, for generations together. And it is not one person we are talking of here—the numbers are in millions. Even those who are not directly touched by the violence, are terrorized and live in fear of their lives forever.

Hindus of Bangladesh today live in abject poverty. This is not because of lack of skills or perseverance. It is because of decades of persecution and discrimination faced by them, generation after generation.

Crossing national boundaries with only the bare essentials on your back is an act of desperation—a desperate attempt to save your life. These are people who are migrating into an unknown country, on foot, without any resources. They have nothing to look forward to. No future. No rights. No guarantee of being given refuge. They do it as the last resort just to live. It is worth noting that the Bangladeshi Hindu immigrants in India do not have the legal status or rights of a “refugee” even though they are migrating only to save their lives. I ask the USCIRF to rectify this.

When perpetrators go unpunished, it is a strong signal to their supporters to continue the heinous crimes, thus forming a vicious cycle of crime and no punishment, in which Hindus remain trapped. Today I demand justice for every single life lost.

I am sharing with you a report on the heinous acts of violence committed against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh in October 2021, which includes data and information I have mentioned in my address. I sincerely hope you will peruse it, give official recognition to the ethnic cleansing of Bangladeshi Hindus, and take action as described in my report to bring justice to my bereaved and beleaguered Hindu brethren in Bangladesh. And with this I end my testimony. Thank you.”