The Bangladesh Genocide - Dr. Massimo Introvigne
As a sociologist of religion who has spent decades studying the dynamics of persecution, identity, and minority vulnerability across continents, Dr. Massimo Introvigne has long observed that some tragedies fade from global memory not because they lack significance, but because the world often hesitates to confront the fullness of their truth. The genocide in Bangladesh— particularly the targeted violence against Hindu communities—remains one such under-recognized chapter in modern history.
This eight-episode series seeks to illuminate those events with clarity, balance, and scholarly responsibility. It examines not only the historical facts of the atrocities, but also the deeper social, religious, and political forces that shaped them. In doing so, it gives voice to survivors, acknowledges the suffering of marginalized communities, and explores how patterns of hatred and discrimination can evolve into systematic violence.
Dr. Introvigne expresses his hope that this work will contribute to a broader global understanding of how religious and ethnic minorities become targets, why early warning signs often go unnoticed, and how remembrance is essential to preventing future abuses. For him, documenting these stories is not simply an academic duty—it is a moral imperative.
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep1 - In Search of “East Pakistan"
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 1 of 8 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh genocide of 1971, one of the most brutal and most forgotten pages of 20th-century history. The fact that violence against the Hindu minority has started again in …
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep2 - The Language Riots
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 2 of 8 In March 1948, a few months before he died, the father of modern Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876–1948), visited East Bengal and proclaimed Urdu the sole national language of the country. The decision had a …
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep3 - Cracking Down on Bengali Leaders
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 3 of 8 In previous articles, we saw how the West Pakistan establishment faced an intractable dilemma about East Pakistan. If promises that free elections would be held would not be kept, there would be unrest in West …
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep4 - 1970, Year of Decision
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 4 of 8 In previous articles, we discussed the maneuvers by the government of Pakistan, dominated by Western Pakistanis, to prevent the Awami League, which represented the interests of East Pakistan, from winning the 1970 …
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep5 - The First Killing Fields
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 5 of 8 As discussed in previous articles, the immediate cause of the Bangladesh genocide was the victory of the Awami League, which represented the interests of East Pakistan, in the national Pakistani political elections …
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep6 - A Killing Frenzy
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 6 of 8 In the previous articles, we saw how the attempt by the Western Pakistani establishment to prevent the Eastern Pakistani party Awami League, who had won the 1970 national elections with an absolute majority, to form …
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep7 - Eradicating Hinduism
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 7 of 8 The movement for having the Bengali language recognized as an official language of Pakistan together with Urdu, and for autonomy and later independence of East Pakistan as Bangladesh was largely led by …
The Bangladesh Genocide. Ep8 - The World Protests, India Intervenes
Wednesday, January 01, 2025 in Genocide
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by Massimo Introvigne Part 8 of 8 For those of my generation, “Bangla Desh” was first a song by George Harrison (1943–2001) and a concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden organized in 1971 by the same Harrison and his Indian friend Ravi Shankar …