Since August 4, 2023, Bangladesh has seen many incidents affecting minority communities. A police report shared by the government says that most of these incidents were more about politics than religion.
After a big protest led to the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, many from minority communities reported attacks. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council claimed there were 2,010 such incidents in total. Of these, most were vandalism or attacks; police have opened 62 cases and arrested 35 people connected to these incidents.
The police investigation revealed that out of the claims, 1,234 incidents were political, only 20 were communal, and at least 161 were false. A large portion of these reported incidents happened right after Hasina was removed from power.
From August 5, 2023, to January 8, 2024, there were also 134 new reports of communal violence, leading to 53 cases being filed and 65 people arrested in response.
The police have set up a special WhatsApp number for citizens to report violence directly. They aim to keep in close contact with community leaders to address any issues quickly. The interim government has promised to take strict action against anyone involved in attacks and plans to help the victims.
Concerns about attacks on minorities in Bangladesh have also caught the attention of the Indian government. Recently, a Hindu monk was arrested on serious charges, heightening those concerns.
On December 21, 2024, police arrested a man who was accused of murdering a 60-year-old Hindu man at a cremation site. The investigation showed that the victim had health issues and had been living there for several days.
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