Bangladesh: Ahead of polls, congressional briefing flags ‘coordinated’ violence against Hindus

US briefing raises Bangladesh minority concerns

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), together with HinduAction, held a congressional briefing in Washington drawing attention to what speakers described as coordinated violence against Hindus in Bangladesh under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The briefing came just a day before Bangladesh’s closely contested national election on 12 February.

According to a report by The Times of India, journalists, human rights campaigners, survivors, policy specialists and members of the Bangladeshi Hindu diaspora took part, painting a stark picture of a deteriorating situation marked by fear, institutional failure and a culture of impunity. Speakers argued that attacks on the Hindu minority were not isolated incidents but part of a wider, organised pattern.

CoHNA board member Sudha Jagannathan urged lawmakers to place “victim voices” at the centre of the debate, warning that silence was no longer an option. She described the situation as a pogrom and called on Congress and the US State Department to take a tougher stance. Among the demands raised were public condemnation of the violence, congressional hearings, the designation of Bangladesh as a Country of Particular Concern, the listing of Jamaat-e-Islami as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, and the imposition of Global Magnitsky sanctions on Muhammad Yunus.

The keynote address was delivered by Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute, who argued in favour of sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act. He compared Bangladesh’s current direction to the rise of Islamist politics in Turkey and Iran, and cautioned against what he described as misplaced international confidence in Yunus.

Concerns were echoed by lawmakers and former officialsm says report. Representative Tom Barrett, a Republican from Michigan, encouraged continued advocacy against extremist threats, while Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia questioned whether the upcoming vote could truly be considered “free and fair”. He pointed to the banning of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League since May 2025 and the designation of its student wing as a “terrorist organization” in October 2024. Former senator Samuel Brownback warned that sustained violence against minorities risked destabilising the country and forcing religious communities to flee.

Witnesses at the briefing shared personal accounts of intimidation, alleged organised attacks, and the targeting of Hindu families, temples and institutions. Some warned that, if the current trajectory continues, demographic erasure could become a real threat. Young speakers from the diaspora spoke of documenting incidents on the ground, alleged voter coercion, and the heavy psychological toll on minority communities.

Other experts alleged institutional complicity, citing instances of mob violence, the arrest of peaceful protesters, the release of Islamist militants and attacks on media outlets. They warned that Bangladesh could be heading towards deeper political instability with wider regional security implications.

Rana Hassan Mahmud of the Center for US–Bangladesh Relations said Bangladesh was on course for “a sham election with predetermined results”. He warned that allowing Muhammad Yunus to remain in power meant “we are enabling the creation of a new hub of terrorism whose repercussions will extend far beyond Bangladesh’s borders.”

Organisers said the briefing forms part of a broader grassroots effort to focus international attention on minority rights and religious freedom in Bangladesh, particularly at a moment they say is critical for the country’s future.