In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the Minority Oikya Morchaโa coalition of over 40 minority rights organisationsโcondemned the government’s “mysterious silence” amid rising communal tensions. The groups accused radical Islamist elements of orchestrating a sophisticated campaign of disinformation to drive religious minorities, particularly Hindus, out of the country.
The latest wave of unrest was sparked by the discovery of Mufti Mohammad Mohibullah Miyaji, a prominent cleric from Gazipur’s TNT BTCL Colony Jame Mosque, found naked and bound to a tree in Panchagarh’s Helipad Bazar area. Rather than prompting an impartial investigation, the incident has been weaponised by hardline groups, including Hefazat-e-Islam, to demand a nationwide ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)โan internationally recognised Hindu organisation with deep roots in Bangladesh.
“Rumours are being spread more dangerously than ever before,” the Morcha warned, “with the explicit aim of making Bangladesh devoid of minorities.”
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Temples have been vandalised, idols destroyed, and Hindu homes marked in coordinated attacks across multiple districts. Local authorities have reportedly downplayed or denied these incidents, further eroding minority trust in state protection.
International human rights watchdogs, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have previously documented patterns of minority persecution in Bangladesh, noting that such violence often surges during political transitions.
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The Yunus regime has been criticised by UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion Clรฉment Nyaletsossi Voule for failing to protect religious minorities amid rising Islamist influence.
Domestic critics point to the government’s reluctance to confront powerful madrasa networks and online propaganda mills, fearing backlash from conservative voting blocs. “This isn’t spontaneous angerโit’s a calculated campaign with political backing,” said Sanjib Drong, general secretary of the Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, one of the signatory organisations.
The Minority Oikya Morcha issued a five-point ultimatum:
1. Immediate halt to violence against minority communities
2. Independent investigation into the Mufti incident without prejudicing ISKCON
3. Protection of temples and minority properties nationwide
4. Crackdown on online hate speech targeting religious groups
5. Public condemnation of communal propaganda by government officials
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The coalition also appealed to civil society, democratic parties, and media to counter what they described as “a dangerous nexus of religious extremism and political opportunism.”
Signatory Organizations
The statement bears the signatures of 42 minority rights groups: Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad (BHBCOP); Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council; Bangladesh Buddhist Federation; Bangladesh Christian Association; International Krishna Consciousness Society (ISKCON); Metropolitan Universal Puja Committee; Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajot (Prabhas-Palash); Bangladesh Rishi Panchayat Forum; Bangladesh Sanatan Party; Bangladesh Ravidas Forum; Sri Sri Bholanandagiri Ashram Trust; Bangladesh Ravidas Unnayan Parishad; Bangladesh Adivasi Forum; Minority Rights Forum (Bangladesh); Minority Rights Movement; Bangladesh Harijan Unity Council; Bangladesh Matua Mahasangh; Janmashtami Udjajan Parishad Bangladesh; Bangladesh National Hindu Social Reform Association; Bangladesh Buddhist Association; Bangladesh Hindu League; Bangladesh Harijan Unity Council, Shahjahanpur; National Adivasi Council; Bangladesh Sanatan Kalyan Jote; Bangladesh National Hindu Mahasangh; World Hindu Federation; Telugu Samaj Unnayan Sangha, Wari; Sri Sri Mahanam Yajna Management Committee, Dinajpur; Telugu Colony, Dhalpur, Jatrabari; Jagannath Hall Alumni Association; Swajan (journalistic organization); Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajote; Anubhav, Bangladesh; Shardanjali Forum; Bangladesh Hindu Sevak Sangha; Sri Krishna Bhakt Seva Sangha; Bangladesh Sanatan Sampriti Parishad; Bhakta Sangha Bangladesh, Central Committee; Sanatan Vidyarthi Sangsad; Sanatan Sangathan, Bangladesh; Research and Empowerment (REO); North Bengal Adivasi Forum and Bangladesh Hindu Oikya Forum.
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