Religious minority attacks in Bangladesh: 88 cases filed, 70 arrested

The interim government of Bangladesh announced on Tuesday that 88 cases have been registered in connection with communal violence targeting religious minorities across the country between August 5 and October 22. Seventy individuals have been arrested in these cases, according to Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary to Muhammad Yunus, the head of the interim government. Alam assured that all perpetrators of such violence and heinous acts in Bangladesh would face justice.

The statement follows a diplomatic meeting between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohammad Jashim Uddin in Dhaka on Monday. During the meeting, Misri conveyed New Delhi’s concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh. This marked the first high-level engagement between the two nations since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government on August 5.

Bangladesh’s political landscape underwent a significant shift after the collapse of the Hasina-led administration, with an interim government headed by Yunus assuming control. The situation has further strained diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Dhaka, especially after Hasina sought refuge in India.

Reports of violence against religious minorities have surfaced from various parts of Bangladesh since the government transition, escalating tensions further. In the past few weeks, incidents such as the arrest of three Hindu monks on charges of sedition and attacks on several Hindu temples have fueled unrest.

Alam clarified that the arrests related to violence against religious minorities were not politically motivated. He emphasized that arrests were not based on political identities but acknowledged that in many of the 88 cases, those targeted were affiliated with the former ruling party. Alam questioned whether the attacks were motivated by the victims' faith or their association as former activists of the ruling party, underscoring the complex nature of the ongoing violence.