In an unprecedented display of solidarity, Melbourne’s Hindu community gathered at Federation Square for a peaceful vigil and protest against the alarming rise in targeted violence towards Bangladeshi Hindus.
“No voice is too small, no act too insignificant. Let us speak for those who can’t make themselves heard, let us stand with some of the most vulnerable people in the world,” wrote Aparna Mitra on X.
The message that was echoed in Melbourne’s Fed Square, where supporters gathered to amplify the call for justice, has rapidly gained momentum, transcending borders to become a global cause. Across the world, people are standing with Bangladeshi Hindus, declaring that no voice is too small, and no act too insignificant in the fight against such egregious injustices.
In an unprecedented display of solidarity, Hindu community organisations and leaders gathered in New York City for a vigil against the alarming rise in targeted violence towards Bangladeshi Hindus. Braving torrential rains, massive crowds convened, their voices resonating with a unified demand: “We want justice.” The rally called for an immediate end to the violence and persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, urging that those responsible be held accountable without delay.
In Toronto, Canada, a rally was organised in solidarity with Bangladesh Hindus. “It was an honour to stand with the Hindu community today, and I am proud of the thousands of people who came out in Toronto to send a message to the world,” said Daniel Bordman on X.
Meanwhile, in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, hundreds of protesters took to the streets, denouncing the ongoing violence that has plagued the country’s Hindu minority since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was made to leave the country earlier this week.
Protesters in Dhaka demanded the protection of Bangladeshi minorities, chanted slogans of “Who are we? Bengali Bengali,” as they blocked a major intersection in the city.
The aftermath of Ms Hasina’s forced resignation has been marred by a wave of brutal attacks targeting the Hindu community, leaving a school teacher dead and at least 45 others injured. Islamist extremists from Jamaat-e-Islami have been targeting Hindu temples, unleashing a wave of terror across multiple districts.
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council estimates at least 52 of the country’s 64 districts have been impacted by communal violence. Reports indicate that numerous Hindu homes and temples have been destroyed, and in some instances, Hindu women have been abducted and raped as well.
Earlier, a Bangladeshi-Australian Hindu told The Australia Today on condition of anonymity to protect his family, “Hindus are most often on the receiving end of any chaotic religio-political situation in Bangladesh.”
The United Nations Secretary General has also said that the violence in Bangladesh should be “tamped down”, adding it stands against any “racially based attacks” or “racially based incitement to violence.”
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