Sheikh Hasina warns of 'deep sense of insecurity' among Bangladesh's minorities in Durga Puja message

Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who heads the Awami League, used her Sharadiya Durgotsav message to accuse Bangladesh's current authorities of failing to protect religious and ethnic minorities, drawing a sharp contrast with her party's record.

In the statement, Hasina extended greetings to followers of the Sanatan faith in Bangladesh and abroad, describing Durga Puja as "a shining example of the thousand-year-old heritage, culture and communal harmony of timeless Bengal."

Invoking the festival's central theme, she said: "Mother Durga is the symbol of strength and courage." She added that the festival reminds people that "however powerful injustice may be, in the end it is truth and the forces of good that triumph."

Her tone shifted as she turned to the present. This year's festival, she said, "has come at a time when a deep sense of insecurity prevails among the religious and ethnic minorities of Bangladesh." She alleged that since 5 August 2024, the date she was removed from power, minority communities have faced "killings, persecution, vandalism of idols, attacks on temples and homes, seizure of property, extortion, violence against women and intimidation."

Hasina directed much of her criticism at the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, which she called "illegal," accusing it of creating "an environment of impunity for killers, attackers and communal forces." She said the problem had not eased under the BNP, which she claimed came to power "through a staged, non-participatory election."

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She cited specific cases, including the killing of Rangpur teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and his family, which she said lacked a "credible and fair investigation," and that of Dipu Chandra Das of Bhaluka, whose accused killers she said had been granted bail. She also highlighted the detention of Hindu leader Chinmoy Prabhu, who she said was allowed only five hours of parole to attend his mother's funeral. "What kind of state system is this," she asked, "where those accused of murder walk free, yet a religious leader remains in prison year after year?"

The message reflects the Awami League's effort to reposition itself as a defender of minorities while its own activities remain constrained. Hasina fled the country after mass protests in August 2024. Her remarks are political and contested: her allegations about attacks on Awami League members and minorities, and her characterisation of successive governments, are claims made by a party leader with a stake in the outcome.

Still, minority safety during Durga Puja has long been a sensitive issue in Bangladesh, where Hindus are the largest religious minority.

Hasina pledged that the Awami League would form a National Minority Commission and enact a Minority Protection Act, as promised in its 2024 manifesto. She urged supporters to "stand beside your Sanatan brothers and sisters" and told Hindus: "You are not alone."