Interfaith Communities from Greater Cleveland Stand in Solidarity with Persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh
Cleveland, Ohio, August 17, 2024: The persistent and targeted violence against minorities in Bangladesh over the past 2 weeks, has resulted in a global chain of rallies and vigils seeking to raise awareness on this glaring attack on Human Rights, including right here in Cleveland. The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) organized a peaceful protest at the Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio, where over 100 people from diverse social, political, religious, and ethnic backgrounds gathered.
The event drew students from local colleges along with representation from numerous community organizations, including Sewa International, Art of Living, India Festival USA, FICA (Federation of India Community Associations) Cleveland, Gujarati Samaj, BAPS, Swaminarayan Mandir, Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple-Vadtal Dham, Shree Swaminarayan Mandir ISSO, and Swadhyay Pariwar.
State Senator Niraj Antani spoke at the event, expressing his concerns about the violence against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh and called for urgent action by the US government.
A number of people from Bangladesh shared a personal view of the unfolding tragedy. Dr. Raman Baishnab, a leader from the Bangladeshi Hindu community, accompanied by his family members emotionally thanked CoHNA volunteers for highlighting the Hindu massacre in Bangladesh.
“The world powers must intervene to stop the atrocities and ongoing ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Bangladesh,” said Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, Director of the Cleveland Chapter of CoHNA. Shanti Raghavan, Associate Director of the Cleveland Chapter urged awareness and immediate intervention by the US State Department, the UN, as well as human rights organizations.
Mr. Sudarshan Sathe, Chairman of the Board FICA Cleveland, reminded attendees of the long history of Hindu genocide in Bangladesh, dating back to 1971 – and urged them to “never forget”.
Dr. Vikas Jain, Advisor to CoHNA’s Cleveland Chapter, highlighted the media’s failure in recognizing the plight of Bangladesh Hindus.
Throughout the event, participants chanted slogans asking for justice and held signs condemning the violence and highlighting the disappearance of the Hindu population since 1971. The organizers also handed out information sheets to passersby to educate them on the issue.
Broad Cross Community Support
The rally drew activists and leaders from a diverse set of communities. Hugo Urizar, a Hispanic activist, expressed dismay over the lack of concern from US lawmakers. Dr. Maria Pujana, a Cleveland leader and philanthropist, highlighted the plight of Hindu women facing sexual assault in Bangladesh, something that really resonated with her as a woman.
Daniel Pearlman, Senior Director at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, acknowledged the protest’s importance in raising awareness about the crisis in Bangladesh, while Lee Shapiro, Regional Director of the Cleveland American Jewish Committee, expressed deep concern for the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Community leaders such as Dr. Adityanjee, President of International Commission of Human Rights and Religious Freedom (ICHRRF) presented ten demands from the US government to stop the Hindu genocide in Bangladesh – including that the Bangladeshi interim government provide immediate protection to Hindu temples, institutions and people and bring the perpetrators to justice and that the US ensures free and fair elections with participation from multiple political parties in Bangladesh.
The Cleveland Chapter of CoHNA stands united in condemning the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and calls for immediate action to protect their rights and dignity. We urge the global community to intervene and address this humanitarian crisis.
The Background
This latest spate of violence comes on the back of systemic large scale violence periodically unleashed on Bangladeshi Hindus. The scale, scope, and pattern of this slow genocide, has been widely documented by human rights groups as well as American lawmakers like late Sen. Ted Kennedy and late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
In 1951 after the partition of the Indian Subcontinent, Hindus constituted 22 percent of the population in the then East Pakistan. In 1974, after the creation of Bangladesh, that number had fallen to 13.75 percent and the downward trajectory continued despite the formation of what was hailed as a new secular republic. Today, Bangladeshi Hindus constitute less than 8 percent of the total population.
The religious violence against Hindus is often camouflaged under the broader turmoil, but the numbers don’t lie. In 1971, a US State Department Report noted that “more than 60% of the Bengali refugees who fled to India were Hindus,” despite being less than 18 percent of the population in East Pakistan at that time. Yet, popular media at the time depicted (and continues to depict it) as primarily differences over language. The disproportionate violence directed today at this minority community is part of the same trend – only this time we are hearing it presented as party preferences.
About CoHNA
CoHNA is a grassroots level advocacy and civil rights organization dedicated to improving the understanding of Hinduism in North America by working on matters related to the Hindu community and by educating the public about Hindu heritage and tradition. For more information, please visit https://cohna.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and on Instagram.