Washington, Feb 10 (LatestNewsX) Hindu community members and human rights advocates held a peaceful protest outside the US State Department here, urging the government to take stronger action over what they described as persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh.
The demonstrators gathered in the cold weather, holding banners and placards that called for justice and accountability. Several speakers appealed directly to US officials, international bodies, and global human rights organisations to intervene.
Srikanth Akunuri of Hindu Action urged US authorities to act decisively. “We request the US State Department to ensure persecution of minorities is completely stopped, and the culprits have to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law in the US or the International Court of Justice,” he said.
Akunuri also pressed for international oversight of Bangladesh’s upcoming polls. “Also, we request the US Government to send neutral observers to Bangladesh during elections in February 2026 ensure democracy is restored in Bangladesh,” he said.
Pankaj Mehta, a human rights advocate from Interfaith Peace Vigil Against Terror, echoed those concerns and said the situation described during the protest raised serious alarms.
“Today’s testimony was deeply troubling — it points to targeted violence against minorities and weak accountability,” Mehta said. “As interfaith human rights advocates, we stand with the victims and strongly condemn the failure of the Bangladeshi government to protect minorities and prosecute perpetrators.”
Mehta said minority safety must be treated as a core global obligation. “Human rights and minority safety are non-negotiable — all eyes must now be on Bangladesh,” he added.
Participants said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to what they described as sustained abuses against Hindu minorities and at pressing democratic governments to respond with urgency.
Aruna Pal, a physician and human rights activist, described the issue as a moral challenge for the international community.
Pal condemned violence against minorities in South Asia. “Barbaric action against Hindus in Bangladesh/Pakistan should have been rejected/condemned by the whole world,” she said.
She argued that global institutions have a responsibility to respond forcefully.
“There must have been the whole world, all the organisations’ moral duty to stop funding of this kind of cowardly vultures, who are engaged in this kind of anti minority activities,” Pal said.
She also framed the issue in broader cultural and spiritual terms. “All have to make a goal to strengthen a power that is stronger than these demonic powers that are funding these vultures,” Pal said. “These people with devta thoughts must be able to defund demonic thoughts.”
Bangladesh has faced periodic international scrutiny over minority rights, including concerns raised by rights groups and foreign governments in recent years.
The United States has said it monitors human rights conditions globally and raises such issues in bilateral and multilateral forums.
lkj/sd/
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
