Bangladeshi Hindus in a protest march WASHINGTON, D.C - While millions of Hindus around the world celebrated Diwali, Bangladeshi Hindus once again faced targeted violence, looting, vandalism, and destruction of their temples, businesses, and homes in attacks allegedly led by local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) operatives. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) condemned these latest attacks, and urged the U.S. State Department and international community to exert pressure on the Bangladeshi government to protect its religious minorities. In a release to the media, HAF said, “While state sponsorship of violence against minorities seemed to be on the wane under the current Sheikh Hasina government, recent retaliatory violence after the sentencing of Islamist leaders found guilty of atrocities against minority communities in 1971, has specifically targeted Hindus in Bangladesh.” Earlier this year, HAF initiated a coalition effort to request the House Foreign Affairs Committee to host a hearing on religious violence in Bangladesh.
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