Bangladesh violence: ‘Safe but don’t know for how long. We keep crying in fear’

DHAKA: Reports of targeted attacks on religious and ethnic minorities have sparked fear among Hindus in Bangladesh, with many saying Thursday they feel safe for now but are uncertain about how long this will last despite calls by Nobel laureate and interim government head Muhammad Yunus, alongside student leaders, to restore peace in the nation.
A teacher who graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology expressed his anguish.“I was never involved in politics. No one in our family is involved in politics. But we have much love and respect for our nation’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. How could you do that? My eyes are filled with tears,” he said. For safety reasons, he chose not to disclose his name or location.
A Hindu architect shared stories of suffering coming in from relatives. “We’re safe, but don’t know how long we will remain safe. We keep crying in fear of attacks,” he said, revealing that an aunt’s house had been attacked. He expressed reservations about the situation improving: “We can’t stand up. I have doubts.”
He lamented the destruction at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in Dhaka and the defacement of Bangabandhu’s murals and statues. “It hurts me. I feel heartbroken. I never thought such things would happen. My friends abroad used to appreciate Bangladesh and its massive development.”
Another minority community person, a govt employee, said his family and relatives were safe but traumatised & living in fear. Regarding expectations from interim govt, they urged patience but emphasised the need for “iron-clad” protection for minorities in the meantime.
Cultural activists also voiced their concerns, demanding security, and justice. Popular folk singer and cultural activist Rahul Ananda’s 140-year-old rented house in Dhaka was vandalised and set ablaze Aug 5. In response, artists and activists gathered under the banner “Shilpa, Sthapona O Shilpangan Dhongsher Biruddhe Obosthhan” (Stand Against Destruction of Art, Architecture, and Cultural Spaces) & held a protest rally.
Transparency International Bangladesh condemned the attacks on homes, places of worship, and businesses belonging to minorities. “It is disheartening and disappointing that we have to demand protection of religious minorities and state assets amidst the unprecedented victorious moment of the movement where hundreds shed blood to demand equality, harmony, and equal rights of everyone,” TIB executive director Iftekhar Zaman said.
European Union’s heads of mission in Dhaka also expressed concern about the attacks on places of worship and members of religious, ethnic, and other minorities.