Most attacks against minorities like Hindus were non-communal, claims Bangladesh
What's the story
The interim government of Bangladesh has claimed that most incidents involving minority communities in 2025 were "criminal in nature," not communal. The statement was released on Monday by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's Press Wing. This comes after India urged Dhaka to "swiftly and firmly" address the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, calling it "troubling" that these incidents were being attributed to extraneous reasons.
Incident analysis
Detailed report on minority-related incidents in Bangladesh
In response, the interim government released a detailed report, based on a yearlong review of official police records. It said that 645 incidents involving minority communities were recorded between January-December 2025. Of these, only 71 had communal elements such as temple vandalism, arson, theft, murder, and other provocations. Police cases were filed in 50 of these incidents and arrests were made in an equal number.
Dispute breakdown
Criminal or social disputes account for majority of incidents
The remaining 574 incidents were linked to criminal or social disputes, not religion. These included neighborhood disputes, land-related conflicts, thefts, personal enmity cases, and rapes. The interim government said that while all crimes are serious and demand accountability, most incidents involving minority victims were not driven by communal hostility but broader criminal and social factors affecting citizens across religious and ethnic lines.
Population statistics
Bangladesh's minority population and recent communal violence allegations
According to the 2022 census, Bangladesh's Hindu population is about 13.13 million (7.95% of the total population). The Buddhist population stands at around 1.01 million (0.61%), while Christians number nearly half a million and other religions such as Sikhism and Animism account for approximately 200,000 (0.12%). Earlier this month, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council alleged rising communal violence as general elections approach on February 12.
Diplomatic tensions
India expresses concern over attacks on minorities in Bangladesh
Last week, India's External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said such incidents need to be dealt with "swiftly and firmly," adding that attributing them to personal rivalries or political differences only emboldens perpetrators. Relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained since Yunus's interim government took charge after Sheikh Hasina's government collapsed in August 2024.