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CoHNA hosts panel to discuss violence in Bangladesh
The webinar included experts and firsthand accounts from Bangladeshi Hindus.
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CoHNA logo / Website- cohna.org
The Coalition of Hindus in North America (CoHNA) hosted a webinar on Dec.18 to address the alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.
The event featured key speakers, including Dr. Richard Benkin, a human rights advocate, who described the situation as "ethnic cleansing," urging immediate action to prevent alleged violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
Subinoy Kumar Saha, a Dhaka-based professional, shared firsthand accounts of Hindus in Bangladesh facing forced resignations and cultural suppression. Shyama Haldar, president of Michigan Kalibari Temple, cautioned that without international intervention, the Hindu population in Bangladesh could vanish within decades. Rana Banik, representing CoHNA’s Youth Action Network, urged the younger generation to take a stand for justice.
The webinar emphasized that the alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh is not a recent issue but a decades-long struggle, marked by systemic discrimination under successive governments. Haldar recounted personal experiences of workplace bias. Banik expressed frustration with the current leadership under Mohammad Yunus, whose alignment with far-right groups, he said, has further jeopardized the Hindu community.
The panel stressed the diaspora's crucial role in advocating for justice. In recent months, demonstrations have been held across North America in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and London. A rally in Hamtramck, MI, led by Haldar, symbolized unity and peaceful coexistence through acts like singing Bangladesh’s national anthem and pausing for the Muslim call to prayer.
Political support for the cause is also growing. US leaders such as Congresspersons Raja Krishnamoorthi, Shri Thanedar, Ro Khanna, and Senator Chuck Schumer, along with incoming President Donald Trump and his nominees Vivek Ramaswamy and Tulsi Gabbard, have addressed the crisis. In Canada, several Members of Parliament, including Kevin Vuong, Rob Oliphant, Chandra Arya, Kamal Khera, Melissa Lantsman, Shuv Majumdar, and Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre, have called for decisive action.
The CoHNA webinar highlighted the alleged decline of Hindus in Bangladesh, from 22 percent of the population in 1951 to less than 8 percent today.
One of the most concerning cases discussed was that of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu monk arrested in November 2024 on sedition charges after leading a Hindu rally. The government views Das as a threat due to his ability to unite the Hindu community, making him a target for arrest.
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