With Hindu festivals being stripped of official recognition and targeted violence showing no signs of stopping, Hindus in Bangladesh face an existential threat. The Indian government must move beyond rhetoric and implement urgent diplomatic measures for the safety of Bangladeshi Hindus, including ensuring safe passage for the persecuted Hindus seeking refuge in India. – Editor, HJS
Dhaka (Bangladesh) – The hatred towards Hindus by the interim government of Bangladesh has reached extreme levels. While the targeted killings of Hindus is already ongoing, a conspiracy has now been hatched to restrict Hindus from celebrating their festivals. The Yunus government has announced the list of public holidays for the year 2026.
According to the list of holidays released by the government, no official holidays have been granted for major Hindu festivals such as Saraswati Puja, Buddha Purnima, Janmashtami, and Durgashtami for Hindus in Bangladesh. Notably, in the past, holidays were granted for these festivals, albeit in a limited manner. However, this year’s list completely lacks these festivals.
The guidelines issued by the interim government state that all schools, colleges, and educational institutions in the country will remain open on all these days. This will make it difficult for students and teachers to take leave to celebrate religious festivals.
Omission of national and historical days
The government has also removed significant historical and labour-related dates from the schedule:
- Language Martyrs’ Day: On 21 February, the Bengali language received international recognition. This day, which holds an important place in the history of Bangladesh, is missing from the list of official holidays.
- May Day: Known as Labour Day; this too has not been declared a holiday this year.
Religious sentiments and discrimination
This decision has led to strong dissatisfaction being expressed within the Hindu community, with many alleging that religious sentiments are being hurt. While holidays have been maintained for Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr, the number of holiday days for Hindu festivals and celebrations has been significantly reduced compared to previous times.
While the series of attacks and atrocities on the minority Hindu community during the interim Yunus government shows no sign of stopping, this administrative move is being viewed not just as a policy change but as planned discrimination and a direct encroachment on religious and cultural rights of Hindus.
