A fact-finding report by the United Nations Human Rights Office has debunked claims by Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, that the violence against Hindus in the country was merely “exaggerated propaganda.”
The report, released on February 12, provides irrefutable evidence of mob attacks on Hindu homes, businesses, and places of worship following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
Hindus Face Violent Attacks Post-Hasina Era
The political turmoil that led to Hasina’s flight to India on August 5, 2024, triggered widespread violence, disproportionately affecting the minority Hindu community, which constitutes approximately 8 per cent of Bangladesh’s 170 million population. The UN report details that during and after the protests, Hindus, along with Ahmadiyya Muslims and indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, faced violent attacks, arson, and looting.
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According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, more than 2,000 attacks were reported on Hindus in the months following Hasina’s departure. Reports suggest that between November 26, 2024, and January 25, 2025, there were 76 recorded incidents of attacks against Hindus, including 23 killings and 152 cases of Hindu temples being vandalized.
UN Report Highlights Targeted Hindu Attacks
The UN investigation pinpointed specific areas where Hindus were attacked, including Burashardubi, Hatibandha, and Lalmonirhat, where mobs burned temples and looted homes. Other affected regions included Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Sylhet, Khulna, and Rangpur, all known for prior communal tensions.
The report also highlights the systemic impunity that allowed these attacks to continue, with little to no intervention from security forces. The violence was reportedly driven by religious and ethnic discrimination, political revenge against Awami League supporters, and local land disputes. Some Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters were also identified as perpetrators of violence against Hindu and indigenous communities.
Yunus Downplays Attacks, UN Exposes Reality
Despite mounting evidence, Muhammad Yunus repeatedly dismissed the reports of Hindu persecution as politically motivated.
However, the UN’s findings, collected at the invitation of his own interim government, directly contradict his claims. The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) report from November 2024 had also revealed that under Yunus’ leadership, religious minority attacks increased significantly, with 2,010 incidents recorded in the first 100 days of his tenure.
Hindu Monk Arrested Amid Crackdown on Protests
The persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh extends beyond mob violence. In November 2024, Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu monk and prominent minority rights activist, was jailed for alleged sedition after leading protests against religious persecution.
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His arrest, widely seen as an attempt to silence dissent, has sparked outrage among human rights groups. Despite repeated bail pleas, Das remains incarcerated, reflecting the worsening state of minority rights under the interim government.
Global Reactions and Rising Concerns
International condemnation has been swift. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President-elect Donald Trump were among the first to call out the atrocities. The growing influence of religious extremism in Bangladesh and the failure of the interim government to protect minorities have raised concerns about the country’s stability.
The UN report, along with findings from Transparency International Bangladesh, makes it clear that the attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh are not “exaggerated propaganda” but a brutal reality. With rising communal violence and government inaction, the fate of Bangladesh’s religious minorities remains uncertain, demanding immediate international intervention and accountability.
