Bangladesh has always been in the headlines for atrocities towards Hindus. They specifically target Hindus and are responsible for the violence which take place. In the latest, on May 22, 2025, a tragic episode of communal violence unfolded in Dahar Mashihati village in Abhaynagar upazila of Bangladesh’s Jessore district. A mob carried out arson attacks targeting the local Hindu community, resulting in the destruction of over 20 homes, according to a report by Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.
The violence occurred shortly following the brutal killing of Tariqul Islam, a 50-year-old leader of the Krishak Dal, amidst an ongoing land dispute. Islam was reportedly shot and hacked to death following a conflict with Piltu Biswas, a local Hindu man, over the lease of a fish enclosure.
A mob launched coordinated attacks on Hindu households in the aftermath of Islam’s murder setting fire to several homes and vandalizing four shops, two of which were completely gutted. More than 10 individuals were injured during the assault. The incident has sparked outrage, with visuals of the destruction circulating widely on social media, drawing attention to the plight of the minority Hindu community in the region.
A journalist from Prothom Alo visited Dahar Mashihati village in the aftereffects of the violence, he found that the homes of the Hindu residents had been completely reduced to ashes, along with nearly all of their personal belongings. Six vehicles including one van and five motorcycles were destroyed in the arson attacks, as per the report.
All male members of the affected households had fled the area fearing for their lives. A few women remained behind, facing the aftereffects of the devastation. Most of the victims were identified as belonging to the Matua community, a Hindu religious minority that has historically faced marginalization in the region.
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A victim of the Dahar Mashihati village attack recounted to Prothom Alo that the violence started when a group of four to five assailants stormed their home. They were joined by a mob of over 150 individuals. The attackers vandalized the houses, looted valuables, and then set the structures ablaze. A 25-year-old Hindu youth named Sagar Biswas was abducted reportedly by the mob. Eyewitnesses claim that police, army personnel, and fire services arrived nearly two hours following the violence had occurred long after significant damage had been done.
A Hindu woman, Panna Biswas, shared the extent of her loss, saying, “There was a TV, refrigerator, gold coins, passports, medical prescriptions, and 1.5 lakh taka in cash in the house. Now, nothing remains.” Another victim, Smriti Biswas, described the brutality she saw “First, they broke into the house and looted gold and money. Then, they beat me mercilessly and kicked me to the ground.”
Wave of Anti-Hindu Violence Erupts in Bangladesh After Sheikh Hasina’s Exit
Since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh has witnessed a disturbing surge in targeted violence against the Hindu minority community. Over 205 attacks on Hindu temples, shops, and businesses occurred within just three days of the political shift in Dhaka, according to OpIndia. This wave of violence has included acts of vandalism, arson, physical assaults, and institutional discrimination.
Muslim student groups have allegedly forced at least 60 Hindu teachers, professors, and government officials to resign. Bangladeshi blogger and human rights activist Asad Noor has revealed that Hindus are being coerced into joining the Islamist political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, under duress.
Religious festivals have also become flashpoints for communal violence. A peaceful procession carrying an idol of Lord Ganesha was attacked in the Kadam Mubarak area of Chittagong on September 6, 2024. A series of attacks targeted Durga Puja celebrations later this month. A radical named Yasin Mia vandalised idols of Goddess Durga and other deities in Gouripur town in Mymensingh on September 25.
Subsequent incidents in Sujanagar upazila, Pabna district, led to the destruction of multiple idols at the Rishipara Barwari Puja Mandap and Manikadi Palpara Barwari Pujamandap between September 28 and October 1. Similar attacks were recorded on October 3 at the Gopinath Jiur Akhara Durga Puja mandap in Kishoreganj, where seven idols were desecrated.
Members of the Hindu community were assaulted by police in Hazari Goli, Chittagong on November 5. Just weeks later, on November 29, three temples—Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were vandalized by a Muslim mob in Patharghata following Jumma Namaz. Prominent Hindu journalist Munni Saha was arrested in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, further raising concerns about the suppression of minority voices on November 30.
The attacks continued unabated in December. Extremists vandalised seven idols and looted gold ornaments from the Mahashmashan Kali Mata Mandir on December 13. A man named Alal Uddin desecrated an idol at the Polashkanda Kali Temple and attempted to fabricate a false alibi on December 19. Another individual, Azharul, similarly vandalised several idols in the same region of Haluaghat Upazila.
The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu and attempts to suppress the Hindu organisation ISKCON, including branding protest activities as “sedition,” further reflect systematic persecution under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Several Hindus have also been falsely accused of blasphemy, including Hridoy Pal, Utsab Mandal, Partha Biswas Pintu, Akash Das, Pranta Talukder, and Utsab Kumar Gian, illustrating a broader pattern of religious targeting and intimidation.
These incidents collectively paint a picture of escalating hostility, religious intolerance, and institutional complicity in the persecution of the Hindu minority in post-Hasina Bangladesh.
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