Bangladesh downplays attacks on minorities, says most incidents were non-communal

Even as India stepped up pressure on Dhaka to quickly deal with the growing attacks on Hindus, the interim government issued a statement saying that the majority of incidents involved members of minority communities in Bangladesh during 2025 were "criminal in nature" and not driven by communal motives.

The statement issued by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' Press Wing on Monday (January 19) came days after India, on January 9, pressed Dhaka to "swiftly and firmly" deal with attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and described as "troubling" the attempts to attribute the incidents to extraneous reasons.

New Delhi's reaction came against the backdrop of the killing of several Hindu individuals in Bangladesh in the last few weeks.

'Criminal' incidents

Citing a yearlong review of official police records, the interim government said a total of 645 incidents involving minority communities were recorded between January and December 2025 across Bangladesh.

Also read: Bangladesh calls attacks on Hindus ‘isolated incidents’ after India flags concerns

"While every incident is a matter of concern, the data presents a clear and evidence-based picture: the overwhelming majority of cases were criminal in nature rather than communal," it said.

According to the statement posted on the Chief Adviser's verified social media handle, of the 645 incidents, 71 were identified as having communal elements.

71 out of 645 communal

These included 38 cases of temple vandalism, eight of arson, one of theft, one murder and 23 other incidents such as threats to break idols, provocative social media posts and damage to worship pavilions.

Police cases were filed in 50 of these incidents, and arrests were made in an equal number, while other preventive or investigative measures were taken in 21 cases, the statement said.

The remaining 574 incidents were linked to criminal or social disputes unrelated to religion, including neighbourhood disputes (51), land-related conflicts (23), theft (106), prior personal enmity (26), rape (58) and 172 cases of unnatural death.

Police registered 390 cases in this category, filed 154 unnatural death reports and made 498 arrests, with additional measures taken in 30 incidents.

Factual picture

The interim government said the report "does not deny challenges, nor does it claim perfection; rather, it seeks to provide a factual, evidence-based picture of crime trends affecting minority communities within the broader national context".

"While all crimes are serious and demand accountability, the data demonstrates that most incidents involving minority victims were not driven by communal hostility, but by broader criminal and social factors that affect citizens across religious and ethnic lines," it said.

According to the 2022 census, the Hindu population in Bangladesh is approximately 13.13 million, which accounts for about 7.95 per cent of the country's total population. The Buddhist population is approximately 1.01 million (0.61 per cent), Christians nearly 500,000 and other religions, including Sikh and Animist, approximately 200,000 (0.12 per cent).

Spike in communal violence

Earlier this month, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) in a statement alleged that as the date of the general elections draws nearer, communal violence is increasing at an alarming rate in the country. Parliamentary polls are scheduled on February 12.

The forum alleged that the violence is aimed at preventing minority voters from casting votes for candidates of their choice. The Council said it has recorded 51 incidents of communal violence in December 2025 alone.

The interim government in the statement reiterated that ensuring safety and justice for all citizens, including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and people of other beliefs, remains a constitutional and moral obligation.

On January 9, reacting to the recent spate of violence targeting Hindus in Bangladesh, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities as well as their homes and businesses by extremists." Such communal incidents need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly, he said.

"We have observed a troubling tendency to attribute such incidents to personal rivalries, political differences, or extraneous reasons.

"Such disregard only emboldens the perpetrators and deepens the sense of fear and insecurity among minorities," Jaiswal said.

Indo-Bangladesh ties

The relations between India and Bangladesh were strained after the interim government headed by Yunus assumed charge following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024.

India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh.

(With inputs from agencies)