Indian Americans Call on UN to Acknowledge the Ongoing Genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh

New Delhi, Dec 11 (NationPress) A diverse coalition comprising American NGOs, academics, spiritual leaders, advocates for human rights, and civil rights activists is adamantly calling on governments, global organizations, private businesses, and individuals to support the Hindus of Bangladesh. They demand urgent action to halt the 'ongoing genocide' against religious minorities occurring under the 'military-Islamist' interim regime headed by Muhammad Yunus.

Referring to a detailed report compiled by a multidisciplinary research team, the coalition highlights the relentless violence and atrocities inflicted upon religious minorities since the regime change in Dhaka following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. Indian Americans, including representatives from the Global Hindu Temple Network-America, Global Hindu Heritage Foundation, and Hindu Action, insist that the United Nations and international human rights organizations must officially recognize the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh as an 'ongoing genocide'.

In a pressing appeal for justice, they have reached out to multiple organizations, including UN Peace Operations, UN Human Rights Organization, UN Women, UNICEF, US State Department, USAID, USCIRF, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, and numerous private firms involved in trade with Bangladesh. They emphasize the ongoing systematic persecution and violence faced by minorities in Bangladesh, particularly the Hindus.

The report, titled 'Bangladesh Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and Religious Minorities - Killed, Converted, Forced to Flee', is authored by former UN officer Mohinder Gulati along with distinguished scholars such as Prof. Ramesh Rao from Columbus State University and Prof. Prakasha Rao Velagapudi, a retired Sociology Professor from Jackson State University in Mississippi.

According to the report, 'This document serves not merely as a historical account but as an urgent appeal for justice. Hindus in Bangladesh, who have enriched the nation’s culture and heritage for centuries, are now on the brink of extinction in their own land. How much longer can we allow the world to stay silent? Each day of inaction nudges this ancient community closer to obliteration.'

The report details that the regime change in Bangladesh this August—'when a democratically elected government led by Sheikh Hasina was ousted through street violence, student protests, political opposition, Islamist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Bangladesh military'—triggered targeted violence against Hindus, their places of worship, and their properties, along with other minorities, following a disturbing pattern in the volatile region.

It highlights that the severity of violent acts is particularly acute in rural Bangladesh, where over the past five decades, the Hindu population has drastically diminished to a mere minority.

The situation for Hindus has significantly deteriorated post-August, as the report records a distressing increase in gang rapes, murders, and the desecration of temples. Rural Hindu communities bear the brunt of these assaults, suffering atrocities that frequently go unreported and unpunished.

In their report, the authors assert, 'The genocide of minorities in Bangladesh necessitates urgent attention, immediate action, and swift intervention. The international community must hold the Government of Bangladesh fully accountable for safeguarding its citizens and preventing further atrocities. It must demand adherence to its commitments under the United Nations Human Rights Declaration, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) that it has ratified.'

The report further suggests actionable measures to halt the ongoing persecution and create a safe and dignified environment for Hindus in Bangladesh, including international acknowledgment and intervention, formal recognition by UN organizations of the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh as an ongoing genocide, accountability for the interim government of Bangladesh for crimes against minorities, and the provision of economic support, resettlement, and financial aid to displaced Hindu families to assist in rebuilding their lives.

'The findings of this report transcend mere statistics; they represent human lives affected by injustice. By conveying these realities, we aim to galvanize immediate action, cultivate international solidarity, and ensure the safety and dignity of Hindus in Bangladesh for future generations.' the report concludes.