Dhaka, April 30, 2016: Hindus of Bangladesh under severe persecution but the news rarely leads to any outrage. A Hindu Temple and a house belonging to a Hindu woman Maloti Rani Mondal (42) was recently demolished by Islamists after they ‘believed’ that she was behind the suicide of a Muslim girl named Ritu.
This belief was enough for them to commit the atrocity and to teach the Hindu woman a lesson.
The humble Hindu Temple and the house stood at the Khilgaon within the Dhaka City in the year.
CNN took her interview at the Nandipara spot at Khilgaon where the members of her family used to live permanently till 18th April, 2016, and they also locally investigated the incident of temple and dwelling house destruction rendering this Hindu family homeless.
Bangladesh Minority Watch also investigated the incident at the time and took statements of the victim and the witnesses.
The Officer in Charge of Khilgaon police station was asked by CNN team, on 18.04.2016, about the forceful eviction of the Hindu family from their home and who rendered it homeless. But then nothing happened.
Just like nothing happened when Ansar al-Islam, a Bangladeshi militant group affiliated to Al Qaeda claimed that it bumped off two LGBT-rights activists and writers. One was Xulhaz Mannan who worked with USAID and was the editor of the country’s first LGBT magazine.
The second victim was Tanay Mojumdar who was gay who had dared to come out, only to be killed. There was much outrage, but it lasted for a few hours only and now it is back to the pavilion.
Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, an English professor in the Rajshahi University was also hacked to death by Islamic State foot soldiers in Bangladesh for his dare to call for Atheism.
It is important to state here that while the gay activists and the English professor murder got some bit of limelight, same is never the case when it is Hindus on target.
Barring a few local publications and a few social media statuses, most simply ignore the cases of human rights violence.
Like how many know that in southern Bangladesh two Hindu school teachers were seized by an angry mob after they ‘came to know’ that they have made nasty comments on Islam and Prophet Mohammed.
A student of Grade 10th claimed that an assistant teacher, a Hindu, allegedly made remarks. The students then complained to the head teacher, also a Hindu and after the head teacher sided with the Assistant teacher, all hell broke loose.
The next day students, their parents, and local residents chased the two and tried to lynch them. Police was called and they arrested the two and presented the two before court.
Magistrate Anwar Parvez hastily sent them to 6-months of imprisonment after sensing that the bloodthirsty mob won’t settle till the teachers of Hijla High School remain outside. This attack took place at Chitalmari in Bagerhat district and apparently the ‘two pleaded guilty’ as well.
And this is when the country is considered ‘liberal’ and its Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is unwilling to speak one word against the atrocities.
The religious intolerance against the minority Hindus has increased during Hasina’s rule.
Like at Homna Sub District within Comilla District of Bangladesh, hate against minority Hindu community was on full display when it was attacked on 30.04.2014 and had their Temple and houses destroyed by thousands of local Islamists over a facebook post which they ‘believed’ insulted their religion and hurt their sentiments.
The Islamists destroyed Hindu Temples and 22 Hindu houses on this false allegation but as always nothing happened.
Now really, how can the minorities ever survive in this nation?