Washington:

Two prominent Indian-American lawmakers have sought the US’ direct intervention to stop the “coordinated attacks” against minority Hindus in Bangladesh, underlining that instability in the region, “fuelled by religious intolerance and violence”, is not in the interest of America or its allies.

Members of minority communities in Bangladesh faced at least 205 incidents of attacks in 52 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, according to two Hindu organisations — Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad — in the violence-hit nation.

Thousands of Bangladeshi Hindus have been trying to flee to neighbouring India to escape the violence.

In a letter dated August 9 to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Congressman Shri Thanedar said he is not alone in his stance against the atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh. Many in the international community, including some from his own district, have condemned the violent actions being committed against minority groups in Bangladesh.

“With Muhammad Yunus stepping up as the interim Prime Minister for Bangladesh, the United States has an obligation to assist this new government, to ensure that violence and civil unrest comes to an end. I urge the Biden administration to grant persecuted Bangladesh Hindus and other religious minorities temporary protected status as refugees,” the Congressman from Michigan wrote to Blinken.

Mr Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel laureate, was sworn in on Thursday as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh.

A number of Hindu temples, households and businesses were vandalised, women assaulted and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with the Awami League party headed by Hasina were killed in the violence in Bangladesh after she fled the country, according to community leaders in Dhaka.

Mr Thanedar urged Mr Blinken to work closely with Yunus and his government to bring “an end to the coordinated attacks against the Bangladesh Hindus”.

He underlined that Mr Yunus has called for an end to the violence and welcomed his willingness to rebuild the country.

“This is a critical time for Bangladesh, and we must do everything we can to support them in their efforts to bring an end to the violent actions and rhetoric being targeted towards Hindus in the country,” said the Indian-American lawmaker.

In a letter dated August 8 to Mr Blinken, a copy of which was released to the press on Friday, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said credible eyewitness reports of the anti-Hindu attacks in various media reports demonstrate the scale of the attacks.

“I am writing to you regarding the fluid situation in Bangladesh and the rise of coordinated anti-Hindu violence in the wake of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. Now that Muhammad Yunus has been sworn in as Chief Adviser for the interim government, it is of utmost urgency that the United States engage with his government for both bringing the violence to an end and the perpetrators to justice,” Mr Krishnamoorthi wrote.

“Sadly, this is not the first time that anti-government protests in Bangladesh have metastasised into anti-Hindu violence. The anti-Hindu riots in October 2021 left nine people dead amidst the destruction of hundreds of homes, businesses and temples…In 2017, more than 107 Hindus were killed and 37 ‘disappeared’…following the International Crimes Tribunal conviction of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Sayeedi for war crimes,” he said.

Mr Krishnamoorthi underlined that instability in the region, “fuelled by religious intolerance and violence, is clearly not in the interest of the United States or our allies”.

He urged Mr Blinken to engage “directly” with the interim government and exert US influence to help his administration end the violence and “bring those responsible to justice”.

Mr Thanedar in his letter noted that political violence in Bangladesh is not a new phenomenon and that the country has experienced many coups and leadership changes since its inception in 1971.

Targeting of its Hindu population is also not new. Hindus only make up eight per cent of Bangladesh’s population, exposing this minority to risk of discrimination and violence, the Congressman said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Over two dozen US lawmakers have joined the bipartisan Congressional Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain American Caucus, its founder and Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar has said.

Mr. Thanedar on Friday formally launched in the US Congress the caucus that aims to combat religious discrimination and promote religious freedom for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains.

A congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress that meet to pursue common legislative objectives.

“We are not merely congregating to initiate another caucus; we’re assembling to pioneer a movement—one that strives for understanding, inclusion, and affirmative policy actions,” Mr. Thanedar told reporters at a news conference here.

“A movement that says every faith, every culture, and every community has a place in America— the land of the free and the home of the brave. My name is Shri Thanedar. I am proof of America’s diversity in Congress,” he said.

He was flanked by a group of eminent Indian Americans who had gathered at the steps of the US Capitol from across the country.

“Today is significant for numerous reasons. To many of you, the launch of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain (HBSJ) American Congressional Caucus may seem like a formal procedure, but let me assure you, it is so much more,” he said.

It is a statement of commitment. A commitment to stand against religious discrimination, to propel the wheels of inclusion, and to cultivate a nation where diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated, Thanedar said.

“This caucus will create a platform to have the discourse, engage in action, dispel the misinformation and disinformation of our culture and society, to express religious freedom, protect our existence, and speak the truth about who we are by pushing back on hate and bigotry,” he said.

Thanedar noted that as many as 27 Congressmen from both the Republican and the Democratic parties have joined the latest caucuses of the US Congress.

“To illustrate the urgent need for this caucus, it’s important to put some numbers into context. We are not talking about abstract communities or conceptual problems. These are real issues affecting real people—our friends, our neighbours, and our constituents,” he said.

Approximately 3 million Hindus, 1.2 million Buddhists, 500,000 Sikhs, and 200,000 Jains enrich our nation’s cultural and spiritual life, he said.

About 1,000 Hindu temples, 1,000 Buddhist temples, 800 Sikh gurdwaras, and 100 Jain temples are spread across America, acting as centers for community development, philanthropy, and spiritual well-being, Thanedar said.

“So, when we speak about these communities, we are speaking about a substantial portion of our nation’s populace—a segment that contributes significantly to the American fabric yet often remains underrepresented or misunderstood,” he said.

Thanedar said HBSJ American Congressional Caucus aims to fulfill four fundamental objectives; combating religious discrimination, accurate representation and inclusion, addressing cultural misunderstandings and empowerment and well-being.

Romesh Japra, founder and chairman of Americans for Hindus described it as a momentous occasion.

There was a long felt need of the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains in the country. The new caucus would help in raising the causes and protecting the interests of these minority communities in the US, Japra said.