NYT Story On Attacks Against Hindus In Bangladesh Appears To Blame Victims For Their Fate

A controversy has erupted on social media over a story published by The New York Times with an alarming narrative that appears to place undue blame on the Hindu minority in Bangladesh for the violence they are currently enduring.

The story, originally titled "Hindus in Bangladesh Face Revenge Attacks After Prime Minister’s Exit" covers the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina's ousting, and highlights a series of violent reprisals against Hindus, who, according to the NYT, are perceived to be supporters of the ousted prime minister.

The story headline has since been changed to "Hindus in Bangladesh Face Attacks After Prime Minister’s Exit".

Hindu homes and temples have been targeted by rioters in Bangladesh, with numerous accounts of houses being torched and people being attacked.

Witnesses and local media have confirmed these attacks, describing the harrowing experiences of the victims.

Despite these tragedies, the NYT article seems to imply that the Hindus' perceived political affiliations have made them targets, almost suggesting a cause-and-effect rationale that victimises them based on their supposed political leanings.

This narrative is not dissimilar to the one against Kashmiri Pandits, who were considered pro-India amid the prevalent strong anti-India sentiments in the Valley during late 1980s, that resulted in killings of many Hindus.

The Kashmiri Pandits were eventually forced to flee from their homes in the valley and have ever since been living like refugees in their own country.

It should be noted that Hindus consist of around 7-8 per cent population of Bangladesh, where Islam is the state religion, and the community has been a victim of constant religious persecution in the country.

The situation in Bangladesh has spiralled into chaos in the last few months, with almost 300 people killed during government crackdowns and an additional 60 deaths reported on the day of Hasina's departure.

After Hasina's resignation, the law enforcement vacuum has only exacerbated the situation, leaving vulnerable communities like the Hindus exposed to mob violence.

While the student groups that led the protests against Hasina have denied involvement in these attacks, the violence continues unabated, further straining the fragile communal harmony in the country.

In the NYT story itself, Rana Das Gupta, who leads an organisation of Bangladesh’s religious minorities, was quoted as saying that the attacks were "definitely communal and targeted", as barring some, most of the victims are ordinary Hindus with no direct political affiliations.

Meanwhile, author Hindol Sengupta has slammed the US publication for the story, which subtly hints at victim-blaming and overlooks the broader historical and social context of communal violence in Bangladesh.

"It would - by the way - nice if @nytimes could tell us what was the ‘revenge’ for? Why is revenge being taken against the poor Hindus? For just existing, isn’t it? A powerful reason for revenge, no doubt according to NYT headline writers," Sengupta wrote on X.

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