Jihadist backing, minority persecution are foundations of Yunus’ power

More than 50 years after independence, Bangladesh’s minorities remain aliens in their own homeland. The picture that emerged from the roundtable discussion organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) in Rangpur is not merely alarming—it is profoundly shameful.

At the time of independence, the Hindu population stood at 29%; today, it has plummeted to just 8.5%. This catastrophic decline is no natural demographic shift; it is the direct result of deliberate persecution and pervasive insecurity. Yet the illegitimate government now in power—one that seized control through the blood-soaked riots of July 2024, overthrowing an elected administration—is not only failing to address this crisis but actively deepening it.

Muhammad Yunus’ unlawful regime, propped up by foreign funding, support from Islamist jihadist groups, and the shadowy backing of the military, has presided over 17–18 months of unrelenting atrocities against minority communities. International human rights reports have documented the pattern clearly: homes burned, properties looted, forced occupations—all now routine occurrences. A Nobel laureate who once preached poverty alleviation has become a central figure in the nation’s gravest crisis.

When Susanta Bhaumik, president of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, stated at the Rangpur meeting that “minorities’ hearts tremble whenever elections approach,” he captured the terror gripping an entire community. But there are no elections now—only a monopoly of autocracy masquerading as democracy. Attacks on minorities have not stopped; they have intensified.

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What does this mean? It means minority safety holds zero priority for the Yunus government. Worse, it suggests that eradicating minorities may be part of their agenda.

Representatives from Dalit and Harijan communities spoke of being denied basic civic amenities, pleading for permanent housing and education. This raises a stark question: whom does this government actually serve? Having come to power unconstitutionally, with its legitimacy widely questioned, how can it possibly safeguard the rights of the most marginalised? It is too busy preserving its own precarious hold; public welfare is secondary at best.

Indigenous leaders reported losing ancestral lands due to administrative non-cooperation, revealing how the state machinery itself has become a tool for looters. The Yunus regime, which promised good governance, is instead running a plunder economy—land grabs, asset seizures, and minority oppression flourish unchecked under its patronage.

When Manjushree Saha, president of the Swarn Nari Association, declared it shameful that, 54 years after independence, discussions on minority security are still necessary, she posed a question to the nation’s conscience. But this government has no conscience. Having evaded accountability for the hundreds killed in July’s riots, and running the country on foreign masters’ orders, minority protection is irrelevant to them.

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When journalist and CGS President Zillur Rahman observed that democracy becomes meaningless if no one feels safe, he highlighted a fundamental truth. Yet Bangladesh today has no democracy—only an illegitimate military-backed regime. The “democracy” Yunus and his allies tout is a farce. They envision a monolithic society where only their kind remains; others must either flee or vanish.

This government operates without accountability or transparency. It did not come to power through votes but through a meticulously orchestrated conspiracy: foreign state financing, Islamist jihadist activism, and silent military endorsement—these three forces combined to install it. Now it wields that power to destroy the country’s minority communities.

The demands raised at the Rangpur discussion are basic and minimal: increased army and police patrols in minority areas and prevention of attacks before and after elections—these are fundamental rights. Yet even these, the government fails to deliver. Why? Because its survival depends on division and conflict. Protecting minorities would displease its patrons. So it remains silent—or worse, participates in the oppression.

The true face of the Yunus regime is now unmistakable. Behind the mask of a Nobel Peace Prize winner lies a ruthless game. Eradicating Bangladesh’s minorities appears to be its core objective, and it is prepared to take any path to achieve it. Democracy, human rights, rule of law—these are mere words to be uttered when convenient, never followed.

Bangladesh’s minorities face an existential crisis today. They do not know if tomorrow will bring intact homes, retained land, or even survival. This crisis stems from an illegitimate government that ascended through blood and conspiracy. Yunus and his collaborators will be recorded in history as traitors and minority oppressors. This dark chapter will never be forgotten by the people of Bangladesh.