Priti Patel

London: Indian-origin UK MP Priti Patel strongly condemned the ongoing violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, calling it “senseless” and “horrendous.” Patel, a Conservative MP and Shadow Foreign Secretary, urged the Bangladeshi government to prioritise the security and religious freedom of Hindus.

In a statement to IANS, Patel expressed her concerns over the instability in Bangladesh and the attacks on religious minorities. “These senseless acts of violence and the instability in Bangladesh are deeply concerning, and my thoughts are with all of those affected,” she said.

“The targeting of religious places of worship is horrendous, and I know many Hindus will be feeling frightened and fearful, especially given the impact of previous waves of violence,” she further said. “The Bangladeshi government must ensure robust action is taken to protect life, prevent violence, and safeguard religious freedoms. I have called on the UK government to do all it can to support that work,” Patel added.

In December, British MPs, including Patel, raised concerns about violence against Hindus and other minorities in the Muslim-dominated nation during a parliamentary session, demanding a statement from Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Patel stressed that the escalating violence in Bangladesh is “deeply concerning.” She also highlighted the arrest of an ISKCON leader at a place of worship, describing it as a critical issue.

Addressing the House of Commons, she said, “There are deep and longstanding ties between our two countries, and the degree of escalation in the violence is deeply concerning. What we are witnessing now is uncontrolled violence in many quarters, and we are watching with horror and shock as further violence spreads in Bangladesh. Our thoughts in this House are most definitely with the diaspora community here and those affected in Bangladesh.”

She further noted that the current instability in Bangladesh since the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August has heightened global concerns. “Many governments are condemning the violence and calling for peace and law and order to be restored,” she said. Sharing the Parliament briefing in a post on X, she said, “I am deeply concerned by the awful violence we have seen in Bangladesh, and my thoughts are with those affected.”

“I called on the government to set out how they are engaging with the Bangladeshi government on this pressing and important issue. Robust action needs to be taken to protect life and prevent violence and persecution, including those based on religious beliefs,” she added. The discussion in the UK Parliament was prompted by an urgent question tabled by Labour MP Barry Gardiner.

Brad Sherman

US Congressman Brad Sherman also criticised the violence following the fall of the democratically elected Sheikh Hasina-led government. Meanwhile, tensions between New Delhi and Dhaka have been rising since August 5, when Sheikh Hasina fled to India following her ouster. Her departure was followed by a series of attacks by radical Islamists on minorities in the violence-stricken nation. India has repeatedly expressed concern over the extremist rhetoric against Hindus in Bangladesh, urging the Yunus government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all other minorities.

“Bangladesh’s interim government has an absolute obligation to protect its Hindu minority and meaningfully address the protests of thousands of minority Hindus in outcry over the recent wave of attacks and harassment,” Congressman Brad Sherman said in a statement. “With the calls for an investigation from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk for killings and other rights violations during the violent unrest leading up to and after the fall of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the current administration must demonstrate leadership in eliminating acts of violence against the Hindu community,” Sherman said.

Over the weekend, Hindus from Bangladesh organised a rally at the White House demanding the release of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das and protection for Hindus of Bangladesh. Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director of HinduACTion called on the outgoing Biden-Harris administration to take all possible measures to prevent further escalation of violence by radical Islamists against the Hindus in Bangladesh.

“Based on the feedback we are getting from #Bangladesh, Hindu monk and civil rights defender Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who has been incarcerated by the interim government, faces a serious threat to his life, in custody,” he said.