Explainer: What is the number of Hindus in Bangladesh, why is their condition continuously worsening?

Hindus in Bangladesh: There is currently an atmosphere of anarchy in the neighboring country Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday amid violent protests and left the country. Sheikh Hasina is currently in India and there is talk of her taking refuge in some European country. Bangladeshi Army has said that soon an interim government will be formed which will run the country. Amidst all this the minority community is feeling itself in trouble. The protesters are targeting minorities, especially Hindus. They fear that when radical Islamic groups come to power, the situation may worsen.

The condition of Hindus in Bangladesh has deteriorated significantly in the last few years. Historically in 1951 the population of Hindus was about 22 percent. But by 2011 it came down to about 8.54 percent. The main reason for which is religious persecution and economic marginalization. Even after that the population of Hindus continued to decline. According to Bangladesh’s news website Daily Star, in 2022 the population of this neighboring country of India was a little more than sixteen and a half crores. 7.95 percent of the population of Bangladesh belongs to the Hindu community. If we look at the numbers, the number of Hindus is 1 crore, 31 lakh (13.1 million). Despite continuous decline, the Hindu community is at second position in population.

continued migration
Bangladeshi Hindus have to face many challenges. Due to discrimination and communal violence they live as second class citizens. Many people of the Hindu community have lost land and property due to laws like the Property Act. The Property Act allows government appropriation of Hindu-owned land. Due to this, about 60 percent Hindus have become landless. Due to this uncertain situation there is continuous migration. Millions of people are migrating due to communal violence and threats, which has increased concerns about the future of the Hindu community. It is estimated that about 11.3% Hindus have left Bangladesh since 1964. Some reports have even claimed that Hindus will disappear from Bangladesh in the next three decades.

History of Hindus in Bangladesh
According to the data of the 1901 census report of India, at that time the population of Hindus in East Bengal (now Bangladesh), a province of United India, was more than 30 percent. But after the partition of East Bengal in 1947, when East Bengal went to Pakistan and then when Bangladesh became an independent country in 1971, the Hindus there had to suffer the most. During this period, a large number of Hindus were massacred and a large number of Hindus were converted. Because of this, a large number of Hindus were forced to cross the border and take shelter in India.

Bangladesh, which came into existence after separating from Pakistan in 1971, had declared itself a secular, socialist and democratic country in the constitution adopted on 4 November 1972. But it did not remain secular for long and on June 7, 1988, it changed the constitution and declared itself an Islamic nation.

Violence has been happening since partition
Since the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, violence against Hindus increased in East Pakistan. At that time, many lakhs of Hindus died there. Many lakhs of Hindus fled and took refuge in India. During that time, the percentage of Hindus in the population there dropped rapidly. The Hindus who were 28 percent at the time of partition suddenly came down to 22 percent. The same situation happened during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. Then the Pakistani army destroyed villages of Hindus. According to a report, more than 30 lakh Hindus were exterminated during this period. Besides, a large number of Hindus also took refuge in India. Due to this, Hindus in Bangladesh’s population reduced from 18.5 percent to 13.5 percent.

Plight of Hindus in 5 decades
Even after becoming a separate country, oppression and violence against Hindus did not reduce in Bangladesh. Their population which was 13.5 percent, came down to about 8 percent. The main reason for violence against Hindus was their lands of which they were the owners. A newspaper there told that there is a fixed pattern of violence. In places where the majority dominates, they burn the houses of Hindus. As a result, those families are forced to migrate to save their lives. Then they capture their lands.

controversial land law
A controversial land law, Vested Property Act, was in force in Bangladesh till 2021. Under this, the government had the right to take possession of enemy property. Under this law, the Government of Bangladesh took possession of about 26 lakh acres of land. Almost every Hindu family of Bangladesh was affected by this law. Once the government took over the land, politicians used their influence to take over the land themselves. When there was a lot of uproar regarding this law, changes were made in it. But still the new law remained weak and was not implemented effectively.