A report by a New York-based think tank has raised concerns over a surge in radical Islamist activity and an increase in attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh following the political transition that led to the formation of an interim government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
The report, published by the Gatestone Institute, claimed that Islamist radical groups have taken advantage of a power vacuum in the country after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leading to a deterioration in internal security. It alleged that incidents of violence have increased against religious minorities, women, and individuals identified with secular views.
According to the report, the interim administration has failed to contain the activities of radical Islamist groups and, in effect, allowed them to expand their influence. It further recommended that the United States formally designate Jamaat-e-Islami as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and consider steps to hold the interim leadership accountable for the prevailing situation.
The report cited a recent incident in which protesters allegedly associated with earlier demonstrations in Bangladesh targeted the Indian High Commission’s office in Dhaka. Video footage referenced in the report reportedly showed demonstrators pushing past police barricades. In the wake of the incident and amid rising anti-India rhetoric, the Indian Visa Application Centre in Dhaka was temporarily shut down. This development followed India summoning Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in New Delhi to lodge a diplomatic protest over threats and inflammatory statements linked to Indian interests in Bangladesh.
The report also highlighted incidents of violence against members of the Hindu community. It referred to the killing of an elderly Hindu couple in Rangpur earlier this month, stating that the victims were found dead in their home with their throats slit. The report claimed that no arrests had been made or criminal case registered in connection with the incident.
Citing data from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, the report stated that more than 2,000 incidents of violence against minorities were documented between August 4 and August 20, 2024. During the same period, it claimed that at least 32 Hindus were killed, 13 cases of rape and harassment against women were reported, and 133 attacks on Hindu temples were recorded.
The report further alleged that incidents of communal violence have continued since then, despite repeated assertions by the interim leadership that reports of attacks on Hindus were exaggerated.
The Bangladeshi authorities have not officially responded to the findings of the report. The situation continues to draw international attention amid growing concerns over minority safety and internal security in the country.
