Communal Violence Continues to Surge as Elections Near, Minorities Gripped by Fear, Says BHBCUC

Melbourne, January 7: As Bangladesh moves closer to its 13th national parliamentary election, communal violence is continuing to rise at an alarming rate, leaving minority communities across the country living in deep fear, the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council has said.

In a press statement signed by Acting General Secretary Manindra Kumar Nath on Tuesday (January 6), the organisation said minorities are increasingly worried about their safety and their ability to vote freely in the upcoming election.

The council reported that at least 51 incidents of communal violence occurred in December alone. These included 10 killings, 10 cases of theft and robbery, and 23 incidents involving the occupation of homes, businesses, temples and land, as well as looting and arson. There were also four cases of people being detained and tortured after being falsely accused of blasphemy or of being agents of foreign intelligence agencies, one attempted rape, and three cases of physical assault.

The Unity Council’s press release highlights growing fear among minority communities as communal attacks continue to rise across Bangladesh.

The violence, the organisation said, has continued into the first week of January.

On January 2, the paddy crops on 96 decimals of land belonging to Satya Ranjan Das were set on fire in Ramgati, Lakshmipur. The following day, businessman Khokon Chandra Das was hacked and set on fire in Shariatpur, killing him. On the same morning, armed robbers held family members hostage at the home of Milon Das in Amuchia Union of Boalkhali upazila in Chattogram. A similar robbery took place in Homna, Cumilla, where gold, silver and cash were looted from the house of Sanu Das.

On January 4, gold trader Shubho Poddar was blindfolded and robbed of around 30 bhori of gold jewellery from his shop. On the same day in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah, a 40-year-old Hindu widow was allegedly raped, tied to a tree and had her hair forcibly cut. Also on that day, demands were raised for the removal of Kurigram’s Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Annapurna Debnath after she was falsely labelled a supporter of a “fascist government” and a member of ISKCON for performing her official duties. Meanwhile, in Bochaganj, Dinajpur, local NCP leader M A Tafsir and his associate Manjurul Alam were arrested by police on extortion charges.

On January 5, ice-factory owner Rana Pratap Bairagi was reportedly lured from his business premises in Monirampur, Jashore, and shot and stabbed to death in public. On the same day, grocery shop owner Mani Chakraborty was stabbed to death in Palash, Narsingdi.

The Unity Council said these incidents are only part of a much larger pattern, with many more horrific acts across the country yet to be fully documented.

The organisation strongly condemned the violence, expressing deep anger and concern. It said communal attacks are being deliberately intensified to intimidate minority communities and deprive them of their right to vote in the upcoming parliamentary election. According to the council, a malicious communal group is attempting to prevent minorities from voting for candidates of their choice by creating a climate of terror.

The Unity Council has called on the government and the Election Commission to immediately stop communal violence and to ensure the safety of minority communities so they can exercise their voting rights freely and without fear.