Nagpur, Dec 27: Hindus in Bangladesh are sending desperate appeals to India to open its borders, fearing escalating mob violence and persecution following recent lynchings that have sent shockwaves through minority communities.
The pleas have intensified after the brutal killings of Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal, with growing concerns over the potential return to power of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), viewed as hostile to minorities.
Times of India spoke to Hindus across Rangpur, Chittagong, Dhaka, and Mymensingh through WhatsApp calls facilitated by exiled Bangladesh Sanatan Jagran Macha leader Nihar Haldar, who faces sedition charges alongside former ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.
“We face constant insults for our faith but cannot react to repeated humiliation. The mere taunts we face while walking down the road may soon turn into mob killings. We are trapped and have nowhere to go,” a 52-year-old Rangpur resident.
Residents described a worsening environment where wearing Hindu symbols invites accusations of being an “Indian agent,” while daily humiliation is endured silently out of fear of meeting the same fate as recent lynch victims.
The groundswell of support for BNP leader Tarique Rahman, son of former President Khaleda Zia and considered a hardliner, has amplified fears among the minority community.
“If Dipu Das’ lynching has triggered fears, the return of Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh makes them more anxious. If the BNP comes to power, we could face more persecution. Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was our only saviour,” a Dhaka-based Hindu resident said.
Many Hindus view the secular Awami League as their protector, while the BNP is perceived as inimical to minority interests.
Bangladesh’s Hindu population of 2.5 crore faces limited options, with India representing their only potential refuge during times of crisis.
“We are helpless. We can only escape to India, but there is strict control at the borders,” one resident explained.
A Mymensingh resident added: “Opening the Indian borders will at least create an escape route for those facing persecution. We are living the worst nightmare”.
The crisis has resonated in refugee pockets of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur in Maharashtra, and Pakhanjur in Chhattisgarh, where Hindu immigrants from erstwhile East Pakistan were settled.
Dr Subodh Biswas, president of Nikhil Bangla Samanbay Samiti, an organization of former East Pakistan refugees, criticized the lack of proactive response from Hindu organizations.
“More Hindus will be killed, but borders remain shut. We plan to stage protests at the border,” Biswas said.
A Sanatan Jagran Macha activist warned: “There are 2.5 crore Hindus in Bangladesh. It’s not a small number. Hindu organisations in India are doing nothing more than lip service. We are staring at a holocaust”.
Many Bangladeshi Hindus live hand-to-mouth, making the decision to flee complicated by economic realities.
“For them, livelihood comes first, and they may not prefer an uncertain life after fleeing to India,” sources said, noting that families like Dipu Chandra Das’ struggle with basic survival.
However, activists argue that opening borders would at least provide an escape option for those facing immediate threats, even if mass exodus doesn’t occur.
