Maulana’s Incendiary Speech Before Elections in Bangladesh: Voting for Hindus is Haram, Demolish Temples

Dhaka. Mistreatment and violence against Hindus continue in Bangladesh. Ahead of the February elections, a series of dangerous and inflammatory statements are being made. Maulanas seem to have launched a campaign against Hindus. Several videos have surfaced on social media. In one video, a Maulana declares that “voting for Hindus is haram,” while in another, a leader is heard calling for the “elimination of temples from Bangladesh.” Maulanas in Bangladesh are continuously making inflammatory statements against Hindus in their gatherings.

In the viral video of the Maulana, he is asked, “Is it permissible to vote for a Hindu candidate in the elections? Should one vote for a Hindu party?” To this question, the Maulana emphatically replies, “No, it is absolutely not permissible.” Initially, the Maulana is seen laughing with a sarcastic smile, and then he says, “Voting for a Hindu is not permissible.” He then repeats his statement, “Voting for a Hindu is not permissible.” He further states, “Voting for Hindus, for infidels, is not permissible in any way.” During the program, he declares that voting for any Hindu candidate or “infidel” is haram, meaning forbidden in Islam.

Campaign Against Hindus in Bangladesh
Navbharat Times has not been able to verify when this video was made. However, in another clip, clerics can be heard openly making threats against Hindu religious sites and institutions. In the second video, a person can be heard calling for the elimination of Hindus from Bangladesh and the destruction of all temples. He says, “In Bangladesh, temples are meant to be destroyed, their idols are meant to be broken. No Hindu can live in Bangladesh, no ISKCON member can live here. The brokers from Delhi should go back to Delhi.” These videos have surfaced at a time when violent incidents against Hindus began in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024. In recent weeks, dozens of Hindu homes have been vandalized, and several houses have been locked from the outside and set on fire.

In the last month and a half, several Hindus have been lynched by mobs in Bangladesh. While many countries have criticized the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, the interim government of Muhammad Yunus is reportedly supporting such elements. Radical elements have become unchecked in Bangladesh. At least five Hindu men have been murdered in the past few weeks. Following this, India has urged Bangladesh to deal strictly with the communal incidents in the country. Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are seeing a disturbing pattern of repeated attacks by extremists on minorities, as well as their homes and businesses.” He said that such cases should be dealt with “swiftly and strictly.” He also said that there has been a disturbing tendency to link communal attacks to personal enmity or political differences. Jaiswal said earlier this month, “Such inaction emboldens the perpetrators and deepens the sense of fear and insecurity among minorities.”