Chowdhury Manindra Kumar Nath, acting general secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, has stated that from August 21, 2024, to June 30, 2025, a total of 432 incidents of violence against religious and minorities have taken place in Bangladesh.
Presenting this information at a press conference held at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Thursday, the council expressed strong resentment over the absence of minority representation in the country’s ongoing state reform processes.
Manindra Kumar Nath further said that although the interim government has formed multiple reform commissions with the stated goal of building a discrimination-free, inclusive society, no representatives from minority communities have been included in these commissions.
He added that even in critical processes like constitutional reform, minorities have been entirely excluded, which he described as deeply disappointing.
He also mentioned that despite submitting multiple written proposals, suggestions, and calls for representation from the minority community, none have been taken into consideration.
“On one hand, the government talks about ending discrimination and protecting people's rights; on the other, it completely ignores minorities in the reform process—this is sheer hypocrisy,” he said.
According to the report, following the student movement and the subsequent political upheaval, violence against minority communities sharply increased.
In just 15 days, a total of 2,010 violent incidents occurred, including attacks, looting, arson, rape, murder, land grabbing, false accusations of religious defamation, and the vandalism of places of worship.
In the village of Dahar Mashihati in Abhaynagar, Jessore, the homes of 20 minority families were destroyed, and their property was looted.
In Muradnagar, Comilla, a minority woman was raped, and the video was shared on social media.
In Khilkhet, Dhaka, a temple was demolished by bulldozer, and idols were vandalized.
In Lalmonirhat, a father and son were falsely accused of religious defamation, beaten by a mob, and then handed over to police.
Dr Kushal Baran Chakraborty, a professor at Chittagong University, was humiliated and denied promotion due to his religious identity.
The council alleged that administrative inaction and political patronage were responsible for these incidents. They argued that these are not only violations of the law but also serious breaches of human rights, and the violence is still ongoing.
On September 19, 2024, the council released a report detailing the 2,010 incidents that took place between August 4 and August 20.
They identified those responsible and demanded exemplary punishment. They also called for financial compensation, rehabilitation of affected families, and medical care for the injured.
However, the government dismissed the report as “false, exaggerated, and politically motivated.”
Later, the report's data was used by international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and foreign media, leading to global attention.
Eventually, on December 10, 2024, the government acknowledged in a press briefing that multiple communal incidents had occurred. It reported that 70 people had been arrested in connection with 88 cases.
Still, minority organizations claim that the arrests and cases were largely symbolic, and most incidents have not been properly investigated or prosecuted.
Speakers at the press conference described this situation as a "culture of impunity" that emboldens perpetrators and denies justice and safety to victims.
Concluding the press conference, Manindra Kumar Nath said: “To build a just, humane, and secular Bangladesh, the state reform process must ensure minority inclusion and take effective steps to eliminate ongoing discrimination.”