Washington DC: A broad alliance of organizations spanning North America, Europe, and Asia has announced a coordinated global campaign to confront what it describes as an escalating and systematic persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh following the installation of the Yunus-led interim government. Framing the crisis as a “drip-drip genocide,” the coalition is launching a three-part response that combines international advocacy, remembrance, and mass civic mobilization aimed at pressuring governments and multilateral institutions to act.
Since mid-2024 and throughout 2025, Hindu communities in Bangladesh have faced a sharp increase in targeted violence marked by blasphemy accusations, mob attacks, arson, sexual violence, and the desecration of temples and sacred images. The most widely cited case is the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das on December 18, 2025, after a false allegation of blasphemy. The killing, recorded and circulated online, triggered global outrage and underscored the growing sense of impunity surrounding attacks on religious minorities.
Human rights groups and community networks report a steady pattern of incidents between June and December 2025, often fueled by online incitement that mobilized mobs into Hindu neighborhoods, shops, and places of worship. Victims killed during anti-Hindu violence in 2025 include Dipu Chandra Das, Khokan Chandra Das, Rana Pratap Bairagi, Mohi Chakraborty, Bajendra Biswas, Prantosh Karmakar, and Amrito Mondal, whose names are now being memorialized by temples and advocacy groups.
Beyond killings, families have reported rape during home invasions, forced religious conversions under threat, and systematic destruction of property. Survivors frequently describe delayed or ineffective police responses, with prosecutions remaining rare. Civil society documentation indicates that from the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024 through November 30, 2025, at least 2,673 attacks on minorities, including Hindus and indigenous communities, were recorded, contributing to an atmosphere of constant fear.
Advocates emphasize that the current emergency is part of a much longer pattern of attrition. Hindus made up roughly 25 percent of the population of East Pakistan in 1947, declined to about 13.5 percent at Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, and now account for roughly 7 percent or less of the population. Community estimates suggest that nearly 230,000 Hindus continue to leave Bangladesh each year, driven by discrimination, violence, land dispossession, and coerced migration.
The campaign’s first component is a joint international petition calling on governments and institutions to respond decisively. It urges the United States to send a fact-finding mission, mandate regular human rights reporting from its embassy in Dhaka, ensure inclusive elections, and suspend Bangladesh’s participation in UN peacekeeping missions until credible minority protections are enforced. The petition also calls for targeted trade measures, refugee consideration for persecuted Hindus, recognition of rising Islamist extremism as a security risk, and the appointment of a Hindu commissioner to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Parallel appeals are directed to the European Union, the United Nations, India, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, including demands for independent investigations, conditional trade preferences, humanitarian entry and fast-tracked citizenship for refugees, real-time tracking of violations, and unequivocal condemnation of violence against Hindus.
The second element focuses on remembrance and solidarity. Hindu temples across the United States will hold Shraddhanjali and Prarthna services on January 24 and January 27, featuring prayers, moments of silence, and the reading of victims’ names in honor of those killed.
The third pillar is public mobilization. On January 31, 2026, nationwide rallies are planned in at least 25 U.S. cities, with organizers encouraging fasting, candlelight vigils, and broad community participation. Supporters unable to attend in person are urged to observe the day through prayer and fasting at home.
Organizers stress that the movement is nonviolent and grounded in human rights advocacy. They pledge to continue documenting abuses, supporting survivors, and pressing for accountability until Bangladeshi Hindus are able to live in safety, dignity, and equality under the law.
About HinduPACT: The Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT) is dedicated to advocating for and conducting policy research on issues affecting the American Hindu community. HinduPACT promotes human rights (HAHRI), advocates for Pakistani Hindu girls (CHINGARI), educates voters (HinduVote), fights against Hindu defamation (AHAD), and addresses policies that impact American Hindus. It strives for peace and understanding through informed policy initiatives and grassroots advocacy. Visit https://hindupact.org for more details.
