The Chittagong-based Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam is demanding a ban on the Hindu organization International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), escalating tensions in the country where attacks on the minority group have surged since the collapse of the government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5.
Hefazat-e-Islam shouted slogans against the Hindu religious outfit during their rally in the Bangladeshi port city on Friday.
Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen shared videos of the rally on her X page where the protesters could be heard shouting slogans against ISKCON and declaring killing ISKCON members and Hindus.
“Catch the ISKCON’s one by one and slaughter,” they were heard shouting in the video.
Slamming the rally, Nasreen said: “The Chittagong-based group Hefazat-e-Islam has called for a ban on ISKCON. Today, their slogan was: ‘Catch one ISKCON, then slaughter.’ Hefazat-e-Islam has called for terrorism. They want to kill ISKCON members. Is ISKCON a terrorist organization that it should be banned?”
“ISKCON exists in many countries around the world, and nowhere does it face such issues, but it does in Bangladesh. Why is that? Because in this country, there is a large number of Islamists and jihadists who cannot tolerate people of other religions,” she said.
“They use all sorts of tricks and tactics to harm non-Muslims or drive them out of their land. Hefazat-e-Islam is playing the role of the terrorists here, while ISKCON is the persecuted minority,” the Bangladeshi writer wrote in her strong-worded post.
Bangladeshi local media and social media posts claimed Hindu houses, temples and shops were vandalized and targeted by radicals after Hasina escaped in August amid violent protests against her government.
