Although the entertainment industry usually remains quiet when it comes to geopolitical changes, the recent violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has exposed the neutral stance of the industry. Actress Kajal Aggarwal was the first one to break the silence as she posted a very disturbing graphic on her Instagram with the caption: “Wake up Hindus, silence won’t save you.”
This has been recognized as an act of protest in conjunction with an incident of a man being brutally murdered, his body burned and displayed, which were all forms of the lawlessness prevailing in the area.
The actress’s act of compassion represents a wider “All Eyes on Bangladesh Hindus” movement that aims at getting the international community’s attention towards an overlooked humanitarian crisis.
Systemic Vulnerability
The situation in Bangladesh has escalated from political unrest to a systematic attack on religious groups. Reports and statistics suggest that when the last government fell, hundreds of properties, businesses, and places of worship of Hindus were either set on fire or looted.
This cannot be seen as just collateral damage in the fight for political rights; it is a deliberate ploy to take advantage of the situation. According to activists in the area, the minority populations in some districts have been rendered totally vulnerable to violence due to the non-existence of police protection.
The extreme cruelty of these attacks, which are often recorded and shared via social media, acts as a mental weapon to support the cause of fear that, at times, becomes permanent and leads to the movement of large groups of people.
Global Accountability
The absence of international interference in the matter has been a factor that facilitated the occurrence of more barbarous acts. Whenever a public character like Aggarwal comes forward and utilizes his/her platform to speak about the “stateful facts” of these lynchings, he/she is in fact demanding for a switch from a passive role to one of an active diplomatic intervention.
The past made it clear that minor persecuted groups in South Asia can easily suffer that way, for the reason that the violence cycle gradually becomes and it is very hard to stop without immediate pressure from global human rights organizations and neighboring governments.
Now the advocacy groups have started asking for a formal inquiry into the very incidents of arson and extrajudicial killings to make sure that the transition of power in Bangladesh would not cause the sacrifice of its most vulnerable citizens’ lives.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
