Discussing the Bangladeshi Hindu Genocide with Kids

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What this article covers

  • Explores historical and recent experiences of persecution
  • Explains the social and political context behind these events
  • Highlights patterns of discrimination, violence, and displacement
  • Shares lived experiences through a clear and structured narrative

Why it matters

  • Broadens awareness beyond local or limited perspectives
  • Helps youth understand global challenges affecting Hindus
  • Encourages thoughtful conversations within families
  • Keeps important historical realities from being forgotten

Why Parents Should Inform Their Kids About Hindu Persecution in Bangladesh?

Learning about history, even its painful parts, is essential for children to develop a comprehensive worldview and strong cultural identity. It also helps them recognize biases in their environment, like hostile mainstream media and colonial influences in academia. 

Discerning current events objectively, especially at a time when propaganda, misinformation, and psychological tactics are plentiful, empowers our kids with skills that will help them well into their adult lives.

Therefore it is important to teach and discuss the often overlooked but grim state of Hindus in Bangladesh and the systemic religious persecution they have been subjected to since at least the past century. The recent large-scale violence targeting Hindus is just one in a long history of brutal persecution¹. Hindu children need to know this story to understand and appreciate their heritage and the resilience of their ancestors.

Though the events may be unsettling, they provide a chance to teach children important lessons, with appropriate care (Check out the recommended resources from HPN at the end of this page).

Especially kids should be taught to empathize and stand up for our less fortunate brethren, to express kindness by donating to charities involved in rescuing and rehabilitating the victims, and also to develop a sense of appreciation and gratitude for living in countries where we can practice our religion freely without fear of religious persecution. 

Older children might have already been exposed to the news given their presence on social media. However, given the biases against Hindus in the Western mainstream media(see section below) and misinformation on social media, they will need to be guided into objectively evaluating the situation.

When children learn to view the world objectively, they are better protected against propaganda and misguided activism they might adopt under peer pressure. We emphasize this because many Hindu kids, unaware of the historical and ongoing persecution of their own community, are often drawn into dubious activism promoted by global networks.

By cultivating an objective worldview, children become resilient and confident young adults with a strong moral compass. This enables them to seek justice for themselves and their community, while also understanding the long-term consequences of dehumanization and its correlation with potential large-scale persecution.

Guide: How Parents Should Inform Their Kids About Hindu Persecution in Bangladesh?

  • August, 1947: The partition of India- 1947: India & Pakistan (Made of West Pakistan – current day Pakistan and East Pakistan – current day Bangladesh
  • 1947-1970: Exploitation of East Pakistan by West Pakistan leading to resentment in East Pakistan.
  • December 7, 1970: Democratic Election outcome in support of the secession of Bangladesh from Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of the Awami League campaigned to form a separate country of Bangladesh.

  • March 25, 1971:  Operation Searchlight marked the beginning of the genocide in Bangladesh, with the Pakistan army selectively targeting Hindu areas, including Jagannath Hall at Dhaka University, resulting in an estimated 5,000 to 100,000 deaths on the first night.

  • November 1971: Around 10 million refugees, mostly Hindus, had fled to India. Pakistani government aimed to reduce the Hindu population in Bangladesh by forcing large migration.  The nine months of mayhem resulted in 2+ million death and over 200,000 women being raped. 

  • December 3, 1971: India, led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, entered the Indo-Pakistan war, defending Bangladesh on both its Eastern and Western fronts. The 13-day conflict led to Pakistan’s surrender and Bangladesh’s liberation.

  • December 16, 1971: Bangladesh gained independence. 

  • In Jan 2024, the prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina won a historic fifth term in the general elections. A student protest against reservation broke out which then quickly spiraled out of control with opposition joining the protests. 
  • Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5th after protesters stormed her official residence and the Bangladesh Army refused to protect her.
  • As the law and order situation deteriorated, the Islamist Jamaal-e-Islami party which has a history of violently persecuting Bangladesh’s minorities started targeting Hindus. In the ensuing violence, scores of Hindus have been lynched. 
  • According to The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), there are 205 confirmed incidents of violence against Hindus by August 5th. 
  • 15-20 Hindu temples have been destroyed. Hindu girls and women have been abducted, raped, and killed. Hindu houses and businesses have been looted, vandalized, and set on fire. 
  • This has led to many Bangladeshi Hindus fleeing Bangladesh towards the border in India seeking refuge.
  • Use simple language: Focus on the themes of kindness, tolerance, and the importance of standing up against unfair treatment. 
  • Introduce the topic through activities: See the resource section below.
  • Explain the term Genocide: Genocide is when a big group of people hurt or try to get rid of another group just because they are different.
  • Use the geographical map:  Using the map show the partition and resultant forced migration & violence (See the resource section).
  • Introduce the Bangladesh topic: Share that in the 1971 genocide, millions of Hindus suffered. We should learn to be kind and treat everyone with respect.
  • Family Strength: Share how families stayed strong and supported each other during difficult times in history, like the mass violence and displacement of Hindus during the genocide.
  • Recent Events: Recently, there have been new instances of violence targeting Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, similar to what happened in the past. This shows us that understanding and learning from history is important for helping others.
  • Follow-up: It may be helpful to reassure younger kids and follow up later to see how they are coping with the conversation you had with them.
  •  

Resources for Ages 6-11

 

  1. Download the map and have children color the areas in red where Hindus are being persecuted (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh). Explain that less than a century ago, Hindus lived in substantial numbers in these regions, but their population has been rapidly decreasing, approaching the point of extinction.
  2. Print and color the given pages with slogans. 

Please email the completed activity pages of your kids along with their name to contact@hinduparentsnetwork.org with the subject ‘All Eyes on Hindus in Bangladesh“. We will publish those on our social media page.

  • Historical Context: Go through the major events timeline section. Explain that in 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War, millions of Hindus were targeted. There were 2.4 million people killed and over 200,000-400,000 women raped. Hindu women made up the majority of the victims of rape by the Pakistani Army and its supporters. Millions of Hindus were forced to flee to India.
  • Recent Violence: Recently, there has been new violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, mirroring past patterns of persecution. Violence includes mob lynching, mass killings, arson, destruction of Hindu homes and businesses, demanding Jaziya/ protection money just to live, abduction, rape of young girls, and destruction of temples, This current situation makes understanding historical events even more relevant.
  • Media bias and hypocrisy: While negative coverage of the Hindu community in the Western media is plentiful, the grievances of the community and stories of their persecution barely receive any attention. Also, there are many instances of gaslighting²  / whitewashing /underreporting /justifying crimes against Hindus³. This contrasts with the extensive coverage given to other conflicts. In the case of the recent Bangladesh violence, initially, most of the Western media did not report it. When they started covering, many tried to whitewash it as political revenge. Some like Scroll and Al Jazeera even denied the religious targeting of Hindus.
  • Misguided activism may lead to self-destruction: It’s always wise to be extra cautious before participating in protests. Many Bangladeshi Hindu students who joined protests against the now-ousted Bangladesh government never anticipated that they would face targeted mob violence from the same people they had helped during the protests.
  • The hypocrisy of South Asian and “Dalit” organizations:  It is estimated that up to 50% of Hindus in Bangladesh are Dalits. However, so-called Dalit and South Asian human rights organizations active in the West are notably absent in advocating for the Hindu Dalits in Bangladesh. This pattern of inaction has been evident from the start, as they have rarely taken a clear stand against the ongoing genocide of Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
  • Understanding religious hate: In many cases, Hindus are targeted simply for their existence due to religious hatred against Hinduism. Explain that one-sided targeted violence against Hindus has a long history. Further, you can elaborate on a significant difference between genocidal violence and the usual communal riots that happen in the subcontinent.  The moplah genocide in 1921, the Hazratbal-related genocide, the 1971 Bangladesh genocide,  the Burunga Massacre , Kashmiri Hindu genocide are just some examples. 
  • Ever-decreasing safe living space & demography of Hindus: The Hindu population in Bangladesh is rapidly declining, with some estimates predicting that there may be no Hindus left in the country within the next 30 years. In fact, the safe living space for Hindus in the subcontinent has diminished significantly over the past century.
  • Spot your allies:  This is a good time to test the fairness of those around you. Ask your non-Hindu friends to see who among them is willing to stand up and raise awareness about Hindu persecution.
  • Engage in Advocacy and Empathy: Encourage teenagers to participate in and volunteer for peaceful rallies organized by Hindu groups in your neighborhood. Such involvement fosters empathy and a deeper understanding of human rights issues, highlighting the importance of standing up against injustice and preserving cultural heritage while recognizing the resilience of those who have faced persecution.

Resources for Ages 12 and above (Parental Discretion Advised)

Short Videos (<3 mins):

Long Videos (<20 mins) (Recommended for Ages 16+): 

Articles:

Books:

¹ Population of Hindus has dropped from almost 30% in 1947 to 8% currently, projected to decline further. ‘No Hindus will be left after 30 years’ from dhakatribune.com

² Example Delhi communal riots 2020 :The Roots of the Delhi Riots: A Fiery Speech and an Ultimatum – The New York Times (nytimes.com)  NYT ignored the well recorded lynching of Hindus and the fact that half the people who lost lives were Hindus. NYT gaslight into blaming the whole episode on a minor politician (notice the emphasis on his ‘upper caste’) for speech and ignored the role of another minor politician Tahir Husain who had hatched a conspiracy to attack Hindus and was found to have stockpiled supplies like stones, projectiles, molotov cocktails. 

³ Though targeted violence against Hindus broke out late Sunday 4th August,, NYT did not cover it till the 7th. When they did, they justified the violence as political revenge and not as cold blooded religious persecution it actually is. After facing a lot of criticism, they quietly changed the byline without publishing any correction history.

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