Where do my people go? Fear of extinction among minorities fleeing Bangladesh

This study examines the development of the ‘fear of extinction’ among minority communities, focusing on individuals who fled Bangladesh due to perceived threats to their survival. The authors define fear of extinction as an ‘overwhelming fear of violence and threat marked by persecution, humiliation and loss that makes the individual unable to cope and develops a subjective awareness that their group is facing annihilation because of their beliefs, ideology or religion’. In-depth interviews with 20 Bangladeshi minorities (aged 18–56, mean age = 40.85) resettled in Assam, West Bengal, and Delhi, India were conducted. Through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis the researchers identified six key themes – humiliation, threats, violence, persecution, loss and coping – that drive the ‘fear of extinction’ among minorities. This research reveals stages how the sequence of traumatic events leads to a subjective awareness of group extinction among minorities? By exploring the formation of this fear, the study contributes to the broader understanding of how minority populations perceive and respond to extinction threats. The research highlights the psychological impacts of systemic victimisation on marginalised groups, raising awareness and advocating for targeted support.