Open the border and allow us to migrate to India: An urgent appeal from Hindus in Bangladesh
Dhaka: In the wake of recent killings and a surge in targeted attacks, Hindus in Bangladesh have made an emotional appeal to the Government of India to open the India–Bangladesh border and allow them to cross over to safety.
Caught between growing lawlessness and fear of political change, members of the minority community say migration to India is now the only way to escape violence allegedly unleashed by radical Islamic groups.
India, citing security concerns and deteriorating law-and-order conditions in Bangladesh, has sealed portions of the India–Bangladesh border as a precautionary step. However, this move has left thousands of Bangladeshi Hindus stranded, unable to flee what they describe as an increasingly hostile environment.
Through media platforms, they have urged the Modi government to open the border on humanitarian grounds and provide them refuge.
The appeal has gained urgency following the brutal killings of Deepu Chandra Das and Amrit Mandal, which have sent shockwaves through the Hindu community across Bangladesh. Residents from Rangpur, Chittagong, Dhaka and Mymensingh told mediapersons that fear has become a part of everyday life, with verbal harassment often threatening to escalate into mob violence.
“We are facing constant humiliation just because we are Hindus. The taunts we hear while walking on the streets can turn into mob lynchings at any time,” said a 52-year-old Hindu resident of Rangpur. “We are stuck here. We have nowhere to go. We fear that the same fate that befell Deepu or Amrit could happen to us any day.”
The anxiety has been further heightened by political developments in Bangladesh. BNP leader Tariq Rahman, who has returned to the country after 17 years of self-imposed exile, is expected to contest the February 2026 elections.
Many Hindus fear that a BNP-led government may not safeguard minority rights. “The BNP is likely to come to power, and that is a big worry for us,” another resident of Rangpur said. “The party is seen as indifferent to Hindu suffering. Our only hope is to flee to India.”
Several Hindu leaders and activists echoed this concern, claiming that the Awami League under Sheikh Hasina was the only political force that offered them a degree of protection. A Hindu resident of Dhaka said, “Deepu Das’s murder had already shaken us, but the return of Tariq Rahman has made things worse. If the BNP comes to power, persecution will only increase. Sheikh Hasina’s party was our shield.”
Conversations with Hindu organisation office-bearers were facilitated by Nihar Haldar, a leader of the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagran Manch currently in exile. Haldar, who is facing sedition charges along with former ISKCON monk Chinmay Krishna Das, helped coordinate WhatsApp calls between Bangladeshi Hindus and Indian journalists.
“There are around 2.2 to 2.5 crore Hindus in Bangladesh. This is not a small number,” said a Sanatan Jagran Manch activist requesting anonymity. “What we are facing is nothing short of mass targeting. Hindu organisations in India are mostly offering lip service. We are being pushed towards extinction.”
Hindus in Bangladesh insist that opening the border does not necessarily mean a mass migration overnight, but it would at least offer an escape route for those under immediate threat. “We are living a miserable life,” said a resident of Mymensingh. “If India opens the border, those facing persecution will know there is somewhere to run.”
Even daily survival has become a challenge. Families like that of Deepu Chandra Das continue to struggle for livelihood amid fear and instability. “When it is unsafe even to walk on the road, going to work becomes impossible,” said another Hindu resident of Dhaka. “Even if taxes are reduced or policies improve, social hatred will not disappear. If we wear saffron, tilak or religious beads, we are branded as Indian agents.”
Hindu refugees already living in India have also voiced concern, urging New Delhi to act swiftly to prevent further bloodshed. For many Bangladeshi Hindus, the message is clear and desperate: opening the border to India is no longer a political demand, but a plea for survival.
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