By Juyel Raaj London –
The Secular Bangladesh Movement staged a day-long hunger strike in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in London on 26 August 2025, protesting against the ongoing persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh and demanding immediate protection and justice for the victims.
Starting from 6 AM to 6 PM London time, the strike was led by the movement’s president, Councillor Pushpita Gupta, who went on hunger strike to highlight what she called the “systematic oppression” of Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other minority communities in Bangladesh.
According to the organizers, since 5 August 2024, religious extremists in Bangladesh have carried out widespread attacks on Hindus—seizing homes, looting temples, cremation grounds, and businesses. Reports of rape of Hindu women, dismissal of minority employees from both government and private sectors, and fatal assaults have become “everyday incidents” across the country.
Pushpita Gupta, speaking to reporters during the protest, said:
“Hindus, Buddhists, Christians – we are all citizens of Bangladesh by birth. Practicing our religion and receiving justice is our fundamental right. Yet in today’s Bangladesh, we are denied basic rights, justice, and even the freedom to protest. The country was founded on four principles, but minorities remain unprotected.”
The Secular Bangladesh Movement cited data from 4 August 2024 to 30 June 2025, claiming:
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2,442 attacks and looting incidents against minorities,
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50 Hindus killed,
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29 Hindu women raped,
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Religious leader Chinmoy Krishna Das detained without trial.
In the afternoon, the group attempted to submit a memorandum to the High Commissioner of Bangladesh. Initially, an official declined to receive it, but later at around 4 PM, the High Commission accepted the memorandum.
At 5 PM, freedom fighter Fayezur Rahman Khan symbolically ended the hunger strike by offering water to Councillor Pushpita Gupta, declaring solidarity with the protesters. Human rights activists Syed Enamul Islam, Ansar Ahmed Ullah, Sushanta Dash Gupta, and Nishit Sarkar Mitu also joined the strike in support.
The demonstrators reaffirmed their commitment to stand with Bangladesh’s persecuted minorities until justice and equal citizenship rights are ensured.
