The silence of American "woke" culture on atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh

Students against discrimination wave flags by standing on top of Raju Memorial Sculpture as they join in a rally to mark one month of the end of Awami League regime, at the University of Dhaka, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, September 5, 2024. / REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain

The slang term "woke" has become synonymous in the United States with a heightened awareness of social injustices, especially those related to race, gender, and identity. Rooted in the fight against systemic oppression, the woke movement has championed critical causes such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, and feminism, resulting in a significantly improved American civic landscape. 

Recently, the woke movement which is essentially comprised of the urban youth has wholeheartedly backed the pro-Palestine movement in the United States. However, this same woke culture has fallen deafeningly silent on the ongoing atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh by some elements within the Muslim majority. 

The reasons behind this silence are complex, involving mainstream media’s reticence on the topic with possible geopolitical considerations, selective activism of the woke leaders, and the culture of shame in the victims.

One of the key reasons for the silence of American woke culture on the plight of Bangladeshi Hindus is the lack of media coverage. The Western media tends to concentrate on issues that align with its strategic interests. Consequently, atrocities committed against a minority group in Bangladesh which does not have loud and politically entrenched supporters in the United States, do not receive adequate media attention. 

In addition to being ignored by the mainstream press, the Bangladeshi Hindus are unfortunate for lacking supporting sophisticated YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok content creators, whose few-second reels are the primary source of knowledge of current happenings in the modern woke youth.  Another possible and more sinister cause for the casting of a blind eye by the press may be the possible muzzling of the press by powerful interests. 

“I could have stayed in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to dominate the Bay of Bengal,” stated the ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, clearly accusing agencies of the United States government of causing regime change and installing a regime that would allow the building of an air base on Saint Martin’s island. 

Furthermore, in a recent interview in the Sunday Guardian, Squadron Leader (Retired) Sadrul Ahmed Khan, who is a Member, Finance and Planning Affairs Sub-Committee, Bangladesh Awami League further alleges that Kuki Chin Province of Myanmar, Chattogram hill tracts of Bangladesh and Mizoram of Bharat may be the demarcation of a future Christian country being attempted by vested parties from U.S. 

Apart from the paucity of press coverage, the selective nature of activism within the woke movement may be an intrinsic cause. This selectivity is often rooted in identity politics, where causes that align with the identity narratives prevalent in American society receive more attention. 

The woke movement in the United States has traditionally focused on issues related to race, gender, and sexual orientation within the American context. This focus has led to a kind of myopia, where international issues that do not directly intersect with these identities are often overlooked. 

Consequently, issues like the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh do not resonate as strongly within the movement, unlike the case of the Palestine conflict which was kept at the forefront of the woke discourse by expertly crafted narratives on social media. Religious persecution, particularly involving Muslims as perpetrators, adds another layer of complexity to the issue. 

The American woke culture has been vocal in its defense of Muslim communities, especially in the context of Islamophobia and the global war on terror. This support is crucial, given the widespread discrimination and violence faced by Muslims in many parts of the world. However, this advocacy can sometimes lead to a reluctance to criticize or even acknowledge instances where Muslims may be the perpetrators of violence against other religious groups. 

The fear of being perceived as Islamophobic or of reinforcing negative stereotypes about Muslims may contribute to the silence surrounding the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. The woke movement's commitment to fighting Islamophobia can, in some cases, result in an oversimplified narrative where Muslims are always seen as victims rather than perpetrators. This reluctance to address the complexities of religious violence can lead to the marginalization of issues like the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.

Finally, the culture of shame in Hindu society, particularly regarding sexual atrocities, is deeply rooted in societal norms and values that prioritize family honor and social reputation over individual trauma forcing, victims of sexual violence and their families to remain silent to avoid stigma and ostracization. 

This generational tradition of silence is driven by the fear that public knowledge of such incidents will tarnish the family's reputation, leading to social exclusion or difficulties in marriage prospects for the victim and their relatives. This reluctance to give interviews to the media is in contrast to the culture of capitalizing on victimhood, which is familiar to the woke generation. 

The reluctance to share the stories of abuse has caused the extensive atrocities, especially of a sexual nature committed on Bangladeshi Hindus, and for a long time on Kashmiri Hindus to be brushed under the proverbial carpet by the Western press.

The silence of American woke culture on the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh highlights the limitations and challenges of global human rights advocacy. While the woke movement has made significant strides in addressing issues of race, gender, and identity in the United States, its selective activism and susceptibility to be hijacked by concerted media-savvy narrative makers have led to blind spots in its approach to international issues. 

The lack of media coverage, the selective bias of the woke movement leaders, and the culture of not advertising victimhood in the Hindu ethos, all contribute to this silence. Addressing these blind spots requires a broader, more inclusive approach to human rights advocacy—one that recognizes the interconnectedness of struggles across the globe and acknowledges the complexities of religious and ethnic violence in diverse contexts. 

By doing so, the American woke activists can contribute to a more comprehensive and effective global human rights movement.

 

The author is a retired radiologist and a Hindu spiritual care provider. 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of  New India Abroad.