Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the country is becoming increasingly unsafe for minorities, citing a surge in communal violence and what she described as a collapse of law and order under the interim government.
Hasina reacted to the lynching of 27-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh. Das was attacked by a mob over allegations of blasphemy, his body was later hung in public and set on fire. Authorities subsequently said there was no evidence of blasphemy, while his family claimed workplace rivalry was the motive.
Hasina called the killing a barbaric and shameful act and said such incidents reflect a broader pattern of violence being allowed to flourish with impunity.
She said violence in the name of religion has become disturbingly frequent and accused the state of failing in its duty to protect all citizens equally.
Hasina alleged that perpetrators of religious violence are rarely prosecuted and that interim government head Muhammad Yunus has denied the religious nature of these attacks, threatening Bangladesh’s secular and democratic foundations.
Data released by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said at least 51 incidents of communal violence were recorded in December, including 10 murders, cases of arson, looting, torture on false blasphemy charges, and sexual assault. Homes, temples, and businesses of minorities were targeted.
Several recent killings and assaults on Hindus were reported across districts, including Jhenaidah, Jashore, Rajbari, and Bhaluka. Hasina said radical Islamic extremism has been emboldened, claiming convicted terrorists were released and extremist groups rehabilitated under the interim government, warning of severe economic and political consequences.