15 Bangladesh Hindus killed in 45 days, says rights group

Melbourne, January 16: At least 15 members of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority have been killed over the past 45 days, a human rights organisation has reported, warning that the violence signals a rapidly deteriorating security environment for religious minorities ahead of the country’s upcoming general elections.

In a report released on January 15, 2026, the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) documented killings that occurred between December 1, 2025, and January 15, 2026. The organisation questioned whether inclusive and meaningful participation in the elections would be possible under current conditions.

Named victims and pattern of attacks

According to RRAG Director Suhas Chakma, the victims include:

• Samir Das and Prolay Chaki – January 11, 2026

• Joy Mohapatra – January 10, 2026

• Mithun Sarkar and Sarat Mani Chakraborty – January 6, 2026

• Rana Pratap Bairagi – January 5, 2026

• Khokon Chandra Das – December 31, 2025

• Bajendra Biswas – December 29, 2025

• Amrit Mondal – December 24, 2025

• Dipu Chandra Das – December 18, 2025

• Shanto Chandra Das (18) – December 12, 2025

• Jogesh Chandra Roy and Suborna Roy – December 7, 2025

• Prantosh Kormokar and Utpol Sarkar – December 2, 2025

The report alleges that many of the murders were premeditated and linked to the seizure of victims’ assets, including auto-rickshaws and other property. Several killings reportedly involved brutal methods, including throat-slitting in what RRAG described as “Taliban-style” executions, notably in the cases of Rana Pratap Bairagi, Shanto Chandra Das, Jogesh Chandra Roy, and elderly victim Suborna Roy.

Victims ranged from teenagers to elderly individuals, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attacks.

‘Tip of the iceberg’

“These murders are only the tip of the iceberg of daily violence against Hindus and other minorities that rarely reaches mainstream media,” Chakma said, adding that intimidation, extortion, and physical assaults against minorities have become routine in many parts of the country.

RRAG accused members of the majority Muslim community of being behind several of the attacks and claimed local authorities had failed to conduct impartial investigations.

Criticism of the interim government

The organisation sharply criticised the Interim Government led by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, alleging that it had downplayed the religious motivation behind the killings. According to RRAG, the government has dismissed many reports as part of an “Indian disinformation campaign.”

The report referred to Dr Yunus’s January 13, 2026 request to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk seeking technical assistance to counter alleged misinformation ahead of the elections. RRAG argued that this narrative could allow future attacks on minorities to be framed merely as “political violence,” similar to how assaults on Hindus in August 2024 were portrayed as targeting the Awami League rather than the Hindu community.

A peaceful student protest highlights concerns over minority safety. Photo: Collected

Fears ahead of election campaign

With election campaigning set to begin on January 22, 2026, the rights group warned that Hindu minorities face unprecedented vulnerability based on their religious identity. Without official recognition of religiously motivated attacks and concrete protective measures, minorities are unlikely to participate freely in the polls, the report said.

Call to international observers

RRAG urged international election monitors, including the European Union, to press the Interim Government for immediate safeguards. The group cited EU Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, who on January 11 called for “inclusive and participatory” elections involving ethnic, religious, and regional minorities.

The organisation appealed to observers to closely track violence against indigenous peoples, ethnic communities, and religious minorities throughout the electoral process.