Communal violence continued to grip Bangladesh in 2025, with a rights body reporting 522 incidents and dozens of deaths, sharply contradicting official figures released by the Yunus-led interim government.
Communal violence remained widespread in Bangladesh in 2025, with 522 incidents reported during the year, including 61 murders, according to a leading minority rights body. The findings directly contradict claims by the Yunus-led interim government that only 71 incidents had communal elements, Dhaka Tribune reported.
The violence comes ahead of Bangladesh’s national elections scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Minority body rejects official narrative
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said the government was downplaying attacks on minorities by classifying most incidents as “non-communal”.
At a press conference in Dhaka, the organisation said the violence resulted in 66 deaths and included 28 cases of violence against women, including rape and gang rape. It also recorded 95 attacks on places of worship and 102 attacks on minority homes and business establishments.
Other incidents documented included land grabbing, abductions, extortion, torture and arrests on allegations of religious blasphemy.
Presenting the Council’s annual review, Acting General Secretary Monindra Kumar Nath said the figures were compiled from reports published in national newspapers and other media outlets between January and December 2025.
He described the documentation as partial but credible, saying it reflected the ground reality faced daily by minority communities across the country.
Rights body slams Yunus-govt
The Unity Council strongly criticised a January 19 Facebook post by the chief adviser, which claimed investigations had identified 645 incidents involving minorities in 2025 but categorised only 71 as communal, labelling the remaining 574 as non-communal.
Citing official data, the Council said only one of 173 deaths was officially recognised as a communal killing — a classification it firmly rejected. It questioned why several high-profile murders and attacks on Hindus and indigenous communities were not recorded as communal crimes.
Fear, displacement and pre-election concerns
The rights body said fear and insecurity continue to prevail among religious and ethnic minorities, particularly women, youth and small business owners, forcing many families into internal displacement.
It accused the government and the Election Commission of failing to ensure a safe environment for minorities in the run-up to the elections.
Demands for security and accountability
Opposing the use of religion and communal rhetoric in election campaigns, the Council called for strict punishment of violations. Its demands included ensuring free and fearless voting for minorities, declaring minority-dominated areas as high-risk zones, deploying security forces including the Army, RAB, BGB and police, creating a dedicated monitoring cell for minority security, and banning political activity at places of worship.
The Council urged the government, the Election Commission and political parties to take immediate corrective steps to restore confidence among minority voters.
Violence rises after Hasina’s ouster
The report comes amid claims that attacks on minorities have sharply increased following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina after mass protests.
On December 18, 2025, Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment worker in Bhaluka, was beaten, hanged from a tree and burnt alive after being accused of blasphemy. The incident drew international condemnation and intensified concerns over the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh.
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