Radical groups in Bangladesh have issued warnings against open celebrations of Durga Puja, threatening the Hindu community’s right to celebrate their annual festival. The Insaf Keemkari Chhatra-Janta group has staged protests and issued a 16-point list of demands, citing environmental concerns and the disruption of the Muslim majority’s daily life as reasons to restrict the celebrations.
Following the ousting of Bangladesh’s leader Sheikh Hasina, mobs opposed to her rule have unleashed widespread violence across the country, targeting facilities and leaders of her party, as well as minority Hindus. The violence, which began as student-led protests against a quota system, escalated into a mass movement against Hasina’s 15-year rule, culminating in the deaths of nearly 100 people. While the military has taken control, concerns are mounting as the violence against Hindus persists, highlighting the potential for increased persecution under the new regime.
