All reports of attacks against minorities in Bangladesh after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ousting last year are exaggerated, the chief of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, said. No such incidents had taken place as reported widely, Ashrafuzzaman was quoted as saying by TOI at a biannual India-Bangladesh border talks press conference, after which he walked off to attend an incoming press conference.
I would say the attacks against minorities in the recent past are an exaggeration. “In truth, such attacks did not take place,” he emphasised. He claimed that to substantiate his claim, the peaceful organization of Durga Puja after October was substantiated. He also added that it was one of the most peacefully conducted gatherings, and law enforcement agencies played their role in ensuring smooth execution.
However, he also made clear that the violence that ensued was not directed in particular at minorities but more of a general law-and-order affair. “It was not a hit against minorities. We did have a bit of a political issue,” he said. But then he admitted that some of the minority communities had sought security. “There were also many reported incidents that could not be verified but I will not specify how many requests we received.”
Bangladesh’s Hindu minority has been repeatedly targeted, and India has raised its concerns repeatedly. The tensions were heightened when the Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus-led caretaker government came to power in August last year. Fearing violence, thousands from the minority community reportedly attempted to flee to India illegally.
Reports from Parliament from Bangladesh this month detail 23 Hindus were killed, at least 152 temples attacked between November 26, 2024, and January 25, 2025. However, BGB insists that there are exaggerated figures saying that law enforcement still does everything they can to keep all communities safe.
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