Bangladesh records 257 attacks on minorities in first half of 2026, rights body seeks stronger legal safeguards
Dhaka, July 28 (IANS) As violence against minorities continues unabated across Bangladesh, a leading minority human rights organisation documented at least 257 incidents of communal violence across the country during the first half of this year, resulting in 44 deaths.
In its latest findings, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, a human rights organisation working against religious discrimination, said that the 257 incidents included 40 cases that claimed 44 lives; 5 incidents of violence against women, including rape and gang rape; and 10 cases of abduction, extortion, and torture.
As per the findings, the documented incidents included 42 cases involving attacks, death threats and physical abuse of minorities; 62 attacks on places of worship involving idol vandalism, looting and arson; 15 cases involving the occupation or attempted occupation of land belonging to religious institutions; and 47 incidents targeting homes and business establishments through attacks, vandalism, looting and arson.
It also recorded 9 incidents of arrests and harassment over blasphemy allegations, 21 cases involving the forcible occupation of homes, land and business properties, and 6 incidents categorised as other forms of communal violence.
The figures were presented during a press conference held at the National Press Club on Monday by the council’s Acting General Secretary, Monindra Kumar Nath.
According to the organisation, while presenting an overview of communal violence during 2025 and the first half of 2026, the speakers noted that the “overall pattern of violence remained largely unchanged.”
“Compared with 2025, however, 2026 witnessed increases in the number of killings, attacks on places of worship, idol vandalism, looting, arson, threats, physical assaults, and attempts to seize land belonging to religious institutions,” it mentioned.
The Council said that between August 2024 and June 2026, a total of 2,055 incidents affected homes and business establishments of minority communities across Bangladesh. As a consequence, it said, many families have lost their livelihoods and fallen into prolonged economic hardship.
“These developments have also contributed to increased internal displacement among minorities, growing social insecurity, rising communal mistrust, the erosion of interfaith harmony, and declining confidence in the rule of law and the justice system,” it added.
The council criticised the arrest of Haridas Chandra Tarani Das, the man who proposed the construction of an 81-foot-tall statue of Lord Ram within the premises of the Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Kali Temple in Palashbari upazila of Bangladesh’s Gaibandha district
It described his arrest as “inconsistent with religious freedom and the rule of law”. The council also reiterated its demand for the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader and spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote, who has been imprisoned since November 2024.
The council further alleged that during the tenure of the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, large numbers of minority government, semi-government, autonomous, and private-sector employees, particularly those from the Hindu community and especially teachers, were reportedly dismissed or removed from service arbitrarily.
It expressed regret that “no meaningful remedial measures” have yet been taken under the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government.
The council urged the government of Bangladesh to immediately recognise religious and ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples as “highly vulnerable communities” and adopt effective measures to ensure their security, while declaring a policy of zero tolerance toward communal violence.
It also placed an eight-point demand, calling for stronger legal and institutional measures to protect the rights and security of religious minorities.
–IANS
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