The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), highlighting alleged targeted attacks on Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh. The RSS claims that the violence is causing a mass exodus of Hindu families seeking refuge in India.
The petition, submitted by the RSS’s intellectual wing, Prajna Pravah, alleges that over 1.5 million Hindus and other minority refugees, including men, women, children, and the elderly, are fleeing Bangladesh due to these targeted attacks.
“It is estimated that over 1.5 million (15 lakh) Hindu and other minority refugees including men, women, children and elderly are fleeing to India to seek refuge…. Facilitate safe passage for those seeking refuge to ensure they can reach safely without further harm or harassment and provide necessary humanitarian assistance to the refugees,” states the petition which, RSS leaders said, had received over three lakh signatures.
Monika Arora, a member of Prajna Pravah, said that the organization has documented 50 cases of severe human rights violations against Hindus in Bangladesh. The RSS aims to present these testimonies to the UNHRC and has garnered over three lakh signatures in support of the petition. Arora also said that the UNHRC should engage with the Bangladeshi government to ensure the protection of minority communities and uphold human rights.
Despite the RSS’s claims, the Indian government has maintained strict control over its borders with Bangladesh, with the Border Security Force (BSF) instructed to prevent any undocumented immigrants from entering the country, regardless of their religion. The BSF recently reported that an attempt by around 1,700 Bangladeshis to enter India on August 9 was peacefully foiled.
The petition also highlights concerns about the “declining minority population” in Bangladesh, pointing to census data that shows a decrease in the Hindu population from 10% in 2011 to roughly 8% in 2022. “According to the 2022 national census, Muslims constitute about 91 per cent of the population, while Hindus make up roughly 8 per cent. This marks a slight shift from the 2011 census, where Muslims were recorded at 89 per cent and Hindus at 10 per cent. The plight of other minorities is also the same and they are also declining in numbers,” it says.
The RSS argues that this decline is indicative of the broader challenges faced by religious minorities in Bangladesh, including violence, vandalism, sexual violence, and forced displacement.
The organization hopes that international pressure, facilitated by the UNHRC, will encourage the Bangladeshi government to take concrete steps to protect its minority populations.
