Umama Zillur
The Indian state as well as Indians will use what is happening to Hindu communities in Bangladesh to fuel their Hindutva agenda. Disingenuous posts on Twitter and other social media used fake news as well as news of real incidents to paint the post Hasina period in our country as the takeover of Bangladesh by Islamic extremists.
It is ALSO true that our Hindu friends do not feel safe right now. Protest slogans of “আমার মাটি আমার মা, এই দেশ ছাড়বো না” gives us a glimpse into the anxiety and fear that Hindu communities and other minorities are feeling in this moment. Our ties to our land is sacred and special. Our Hindu friends and their families should not have to make a choice about their safety and livelihoods and being able to live on the land that they are deeply connected to.
Anti-Hindu sentiment in a Bengali Muslim majority Bangladesh does exist – it always has. Ask your Hindu friends when was the last time they were able to celebrate Durga puja in peace without hearing news about violence against Hindus throughout the country. Glorious stories from our liberation war also include the ugly truth that it came with violence and land grabbing from Hindu families.
It’s in our nature to make ugly truths palatable, brush them under the rug, or deny them altogether. For ourselves, as well as the world’s eyes that are on us right now.
Bangladesh 2.0 has to be one where we can look ugly truths in the eye, call them what they are and then get our hands and feet dirty to change them.
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