Canadian Hindus on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Bangladeshi Consulate in Toronto to seek justice and protection of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
Despite the cold winter weather, a significant number of Canadian Hindus gathered outside the Bangladeshi consulate to voice their concerns. The protesters chanted slogans with banners in their hands written: “Shame Shame Bangladesh”, “Mohammed Younus A Murderer”, “Hindu Lives Matter and ‘Stop Hindu Genocide.’
The protesters urged the Canadian and Indian governments, and the international community to press the Bangladeshi Government to protect Hindus and other minorities.
Speaking to ANI, a protester said, “What’s happening is in Bangladesh they’re genociding Hindus, they’re assaulting our women, they’re raping our children, they’re doing whatever they can because the Hindus are a minority and they’re trying to overrun the Hindu minorities. That’s what they have done in Pakistan, they have done in Afghanistan, now they’re trying to do in Bangladesh. We are here to support our brothers and sisters all over the world to unite and show our concern.”
Another protester stated, “Today is also World Human Rights Day. And we as a united Canadian Hindus have been gathered here as a protest in front of the Bangladesh Council in Toronto, Canada. We are protesting because what we have seen, what’s going on in Bangladesh since August 3, 2024,”
“We want Bangladesh to stop killing minorities. We want Bangladesh to stop killing Hindus, stop burning worship places, stop raping women, abducting women. And we want peace in Bangladesh,” he added.
Further, a Bangladeshi-origin Hindu woman also spoke to ANI, and expressed her concern about the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh. “Being a Bangladeshi origin, my heart goes out to them. So this needs to be stopped,” she said.
Highlighting the historical presence of Hindus in Bangladesh, stating, “We are vanished from Afghanistan. We are vanished from Pakistan. This is the high time. If we are not saved now, we will be vanished from Bangladesh as well. This was our land. Our 14th generation was born over there. People of Bangladesh need to stay back in their own homeland. They are not invaders. They are not Britishers. They are the son of the soil of that land. ”
“They (Hindus) need to be protected. Their rights need to be protected. And they should be saved in their own home country. And stop killing them..If you do not take care of Hindus today, tomorrow there will be no Hindus in Bangladesh,” she added
Notably, there have been multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh.
There also have been cases of arson and looting of minorities’ homes and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples.
The arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Chittagong on October 25 on sedition charges led to heavy protests.
Another Hindu temple was allegedly set on fire in the outskirts of Dhaka. The Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, at Dhor village, in the north of Dhaka, also came under attack.
India had on November 26 noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote.
India had urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.