Bangladesh - 16 minority Hindu houses including 7 in last one week set ablaze while 17 Hindus were murdered from 1 December 2025

The Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) in its latest report released on January 31st stated that in the name of election violence, the Hindu minorities are facing targeted violence specially arson and murder from the majority Islamist forces in Bangladesh. 

The houses, temples and assets of at least 16 Hindus including seven in the last one week were burnt in Mirsarai, Raozan, Pirojpur, and Sylhet from 1 December 2025 to 31st January 2026. The Hindu minorities whose houses were set ablaze include Tapan Dhar, late Amio Dhar, Kanu Nath, Amio Dhar, Ashok Dhar, Anup Dhar and Mridul Saha from Mirsarai under Chittagong; Sukh Shil, Anil Shil, Bimal Talukdar, Rubel Das, Sadhan Barua, Sona Pal and Kamini Mohan Pal from Raozan under Chittagong, one Saha in Pirojpur and Bikash Ranjan Deb in Sylhet.

Explaining the modus operandi of the Islamist forces, Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG stated, “Fires were deliberately set on temple, residential homes, and haystacks. The doors of Hindu and Buddhist homes were locked from the outside before being set on fire.  The aim was to brunt them alive. The Chittagong region has witnessed the maximum number of arson on the Hindu minorities in Mirsarai and Raozan.”

“Furthermore, at least 17 Hindu minorities were murdered in targeted violence from 31st December 2025 to 1 January 2026.  Earlier a number of murders were committed in a Taliban style by slitting the throats, such as, of Rana Pratap Bairagi, Shanto Chandra Das, Jogesh Chandra Roy and Suborna Roy. However, Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik was murdered after setting on fire on the garage where he was sleeping”. - further added Mr Chakma.

The minority Hindus murdered are Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik on 23 January 2026,  Samir Das and  Prolay Chaki on 11 January 2026; Joy Mohapatra on 10 January 2026; Mithun Sarkar and Sarat Mani Chakraborty on 6 January 2026; Rana Pratap Bairagi on 5 January 2026;  Khokon Chandra Das on 31 December 2025; Bajendra Biswas on 29 December 2025; Amrit Mondal on 24 December 2025; Dipu Chandra Das on 18 December 2025; Shanto Chandra Das on 12 December 2025; Jogesh Chandra Roy & Suborna Roy on 7 December 2025; and Prantosh Kormokar  and  Utpol Sarkar on 2 December 2025.

The Bangladeshi authorities starting from Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus repeatedly dismissed any religious angle to these attacks on the Hindu minorities. In September 2024, Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus had stated that since there was a perception that most Hindus supported the deposed Awami League government, led by Sheikh Hasina and those who were with them (Hindus) also faced attacks.  Further, on 19 January 2026, Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus had stated that from January to December 2025 there were about 645 incidents involving members of minority communities but “the overwhelming majority of cases were criminal in nature rather than communal. 

“This denial of any religious angle by the authorities has emboldened the religious fundamentalists. The victims out of fear of reprisal often described the targeted burning down of the houses as “accidents or foul play” despite attempt to burn them alive to death or being made destitute after burning all their assets and belonging.” – also added Mr Chakma.