A New Delhi-based rights group, the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), stated that within the last 45 days, at least 15 Hindu minority members were reportedly murdered in Bangladesh by individuals from the Muslim majority. The director of RRAG, Suhas Chakma, highlighted that these killings, occurring at a rate of one every three days, targeted individuals like elderly women and young people, with some murders involving brutal methods such as throat-slitting.
Chakma emphasized that these incidents are just a fraction of the ongoing violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, which often goes unreported in the media. The vulnerability of Hindu minorities in the country faces a new challenge as the interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, has been quick to dismiss any religious motives behind these attacks even before proper investigations.
The RRAG report mentioned that Chief Advisor Yunus has been framing these attacks on Hindu minorities as part of a disinformation campaign orchestrated by India. Moreover, concerns were raised that as the election campaign commences, the Hindu minorities may encounter heightened violence due to their religious beliefs being politicized and dismissed as mere political violence.
The RRAG called for international intervention, urging election observers, including the European Union, to ensure the inclusive participation of Hindu and other minority groups during the upcoming elections in Bangladesh. The statement stressed the need for the interim government to acknowledge and address the targeted violence against Hindu minorities to facilitate their safe involvement in the electoral process.
