US, India Discuss Bangladesh Crisis Amid Hindu Community Concerns

United States is actively engaging with India and other regional nations to address the escalating violence in Bangladesh and is advocating for an end to the unrest, according to a US State Department official. Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department, emphasized during a daily news briefing on Wednesday that the US is committed to ending the violence, ensuring accountability, and upholding the rule of law in Bangladesh. Patel’s remarks followed queries about the diplomatic interactions between the US and India concerning the crisis in Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government.

“We have been in communication with our Indian partners and other regional countries to address the recent developments in Bangladesh,” Patel stated. “We support the new government’s efforts to restore security and protect minority communities.”

In response to the unfolding situation, the Hindu American Foundation has urged the White House to take action to safeguard the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. The foundation criticized President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for their perceived lack of response to the ongoing attacks on Bangladeshi Hindus. In a statement posted on X, the organization condemned the US government’s silence and called for immediate action, highlighting the destruction of homes and temples and the loss of lives within the Hindu community.

HinduACTion, a Washington-based NGO, reported that Hindu communities in rural areas of Bangladesh are particularly vulnerable to attacks due to their isolation, which offers Islamist groups more freedom to target them. The NGO has called on US officials to work towards grassroots educational initiatives that could reform the Madrassa curriculum and public discourse in Bangladesh to eliminate anti-Hindu sentiments.

The NGO’s statement also expressed concerns that if the Hindu population in Bangladesh diminishes further, the country could face a situation reminiscent of Taliban-controlled regions, albeit with significant natural cover.