In Geneva, Switzerland, during the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Narender Kumar from the Shivi Development Society NGO sounded the alarm on rising violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh. He warned that freedom of religion and belief faces growing threats there.
Kumar pointed out that political chaos erupted after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down in August 2024. In the days right after, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reported more than 2,000 cases of communal violence between August 4 and 20. That included attacks on 69 temples, and at least five Hindus lost their lives.
The violence hit hard, with hundreds of Hindu homes, businesses, and places of worship vandalized nationwide. Hindus make up about 8% of Bangladesh’s population, and they bore the brunt of these assaults.
The interim government, now headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has recognized the unrest. But Kumar slammed their view that it all stems from political reasons, arguing this ignores the deep-rooted religious intolerance fueling the attacks.
He called on the UN Human Rights Council to push the Bangladeshi government to protect minorities, safeguard religious freedom, and launch fair probes to hold attackers accountable.
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