Nafis Sadique Shatil
Fundamentalist groups are disrespecting the national flag of India in various university campuses in Bangladesh due to hatred of India.
The rise of radical Islamist ideologies in Bangladesh has led to an alarming spread of religious extremism, particularly among the youth. This has significantly fueled anti-Hindu and anti-India sentiments in the country. Over the past few weeks, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has become a specific target of this hostility. The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, an ISKCON organizer in the Chattogram division, has intensified tensions. During his court appearance, chaos broke out, leading to the tragic murder of a state prosecutor by unknown assailants. While six suspects have been arrested based on CCTV evidence, authorities have notably refrained from disclosing their identities, allegedly due to fears of backlash if their religious affiliations are revealed.
This growing hostility is not an isolated event but part of a larger pattern of anti-India sentiment that has surged since the political shift in Bangladesh on August 5. Public demonstrations have reached new extremes, with protesters desecrating Indian flags by placing them on the streets to be trampled. In some areas, flags of the United States and Israel have also been subjected to similar acts of defilement. Notably, incidents have been reported in prominent locations like the gates of various universities and the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) at Dhaka University.
Radical groups such as Hefazat-e-Islam and other extremist organizations have openly voiced anti-India and anti-Hindu rhetoric. Leaders of these groups have been observed delivering inflammatory speeches, further inciting violence. Recently, Hefazat-e-Islam organized a rally where participants chanted chilling slogans like, “Catch ISKCON members one by one, slaughter them all.”
The situation for Hindus in Bangladesh has deteriorated drastically since August. Reports of widespread persecution include the burning of Hindu-owned businesses, arson attacks on homes, and the forced resignation of Hindu teachers. In several instances, Hindu women have been abducted, assaulted, and subjected to sexual violence. Some victims were forcibly taken from their homes, underscoring the systemic nature of these atrocities. Disturbingly, there are also allegations of joint police and military operations targeting Hindu communities, raising serious human rights concerns.
The desecration of the Indian flag in public spaces is not just an act of disrespect but a manifestation of the deep-seated hostility towards India and Hindus in Bangladesh. Such incidents raise questions about the safety and rights of minorities in the country and the implications for India-Bangladesh relations. Many Indian observers are concerned about the silence of the Bangladeshi government on these matters, as it risks normalizing such acts and emboldening extremist forces.
For India, this growing hostility poses a dual challenge: safeguarding the dignity of its national symbols and advocating for the rights and safety of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. It also emphasizes the need for diplomatic intervention to address these issues and ensure that such actions do not strain the historically significant ties between the two nations.
The situation demands urgent attention from both regional and international communities to protect minorities and curb the spread of extremist ideologies that threaten peace and harmony.