Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence: RSS flags ‘Deep State’ role, urges global intervention

The resolution alleged that radical Islamist groups, with implicit support from sections of Bangladesh’s administration, have been orchestrating targeted attacks on temples, religious institutions, and individuals from the Hindu community. These include the alleged desecration of deities, arson, forced conversions, and instances of sexual violence against women. “To dismiss these attacks as mere political conflicts is to ignore the reality that the victims belong overwhelmingly to the Hindu and other minority communities,” the resolution stated.

The resolution claimed that the violence is not just an internal issue of Bangladesh but part of a larger effort to destabilise the region. “There is a concerted attempt by international forces, particularly Pakistan and the Deep State, to create an atmosphere of distrust and hostility between neighbouring nations,” it said.

The RSS alleged these elements are working to incite anti-India rhetoric in Bangladesh, which, it warned, could harm New Delhi-Dhaka diplomatic ties.

Joint general secretary of RSS Arun Kumar pointed to the sharp decline in the Hindu population in Bangladesh, calling it an “existential crisis”. Citing census data, he said that Hindus made up 22% of Bangladesh’s population in 1951, which has fallen to 7.95%. The resolution attributed this demographic shift to decades of persecution, forced migrations, and systematic discrimination.

“… We have expressed serious concern over the human rights violations, continuous violence and oppression of Bangladeshi Hindus,” Kumar said. “… It isn’t as if regime change alone led to it. There is a religious angle behind it. The majority of the continuous targets are Hindus and other minority communities,” he said.

“India and Pakistan have shared values and culture. Post-Partition, it was mutually agreed to protect the minorities of both countries by the then leaders. However, when Bangladesh was created out of East Pakistan, they did not honour the agreement, which eventually led to the persecution of minorities including Hindus,” said Kumar. “What we are witnessing is not a one-off case of religious violence but a long-term trend that threatens the very existence of Hindus in Bangladesh,” he said. He said the growing insecurity among minority communities in Bangladesh could lead to regional instability.

The ABPS urged the Centre to take up the issue at diplomatic and international forums to ensure the safety and dignity of Hindus in Bangladesh. The resolution also called on global organisations including the United Nations to pressurise Bangladesh to take strict action against Islamist groups accused of carrying out attacks on minorities.

While Bangladesh government has previously condemned such attacks and assured security for minorities, the RSS argued that more concrete steps are needed.

The resolution also commended the PM Narendra Modi-led government for speaking out on the issue, saying, “The Government of Bharat has expressed its resolve to stand with the Hindu and other minority communities of Bangladesh… The Government of Bharat has taken up the issue with the interim Government of Bangladesh as well as on several global platforms. The ABPS urges the Government of Bharat to make all possible efforts to ensure the protection, dignity and wellbeing of Hindu community in Bangladesh along with engaging the Government of Bangladesh in continuous and meaningful dialogue.”

The ABPS called upon Hindu communities worldwide to stand in solidarity with their counterparts in Bangladesh and to amplify their voices against “a systematic and politically motivated campaign of persecution”.

“The ABPS is of the opinion that it is incumbent on international organizations like the UN and global community to take serious note of the inhumane treatment meted out to Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh and pressurize the Bangladesh government to put a halt to these violent activities,” it stated.

With inputs from Vikas Pathak