Violence in Bangladesh
Following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina on 5 August 2024, alleged attacks began on some of the homes, businesses, and places of worship of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. According to analysts, most of these attacks were not communal but a mix of political retributions or general criminal offences amid a law and order crisis in the country.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reported that from 4 August to 20 August, a total of 2,010 incidents (including 69 temples) of attacks on minorities took place across the country within this 16-day period. Among the incidents, homes of 157 families were attacked, looted, vandalised and set on fire while some of their businesses were also attacked, looted and vandalised. 5 Hindus were killed in these attacks, of which at least 2 were confirmed as Awami League members.
Meanwhile, Indian media as well as India-based social media accounts began to disseminate disinformation and propaganda on the attacks; BBC Verify both confirmed some attacks hurt minorities and found that many online claims about the violence were unverified, exaggerated, or misleadingly framed. Fact checkers highlighted the situation's complexity and the difficulties in accurately assessing causes of violence.
Background.
In July 2024, the quota reform movement morphed into a fierce anti-government mass uprising, known as the Student–People's uprising, ultimately removed the Awami League government from state power with the resignation of Sheikh Hasina who was accused of fostering authoritarianism, corruption and democratic backsliding. Various violence took place against the Hindu minority of Bangladesh after the political unrest.
Various people from the Hindu background were affected by the mob violence. However, detailed analysis by fact-checkers suggests that most of the victims were targeted because of their association with Hasina’s widely hated Awami League, not because of their faith. Widespread disinformation in Indian media and false claims also caused to fuel up communal sentiments.
Attacks.
Following Hasina's departure, a series of communal attacks were reported, particularly targeting Hindus in Bangladesh. These incidents included alleged attacks on temples, houses, and shops belonging to minority communities, as well as reports of looting and murder across several districts in the country.
According to the Investigation conducted by "Prothom Alo" correspondents across 64 districts and 67 upazilas between 5-20 August 2024, 1,068 attacks on the minority community occurred in 49 districts. The majority of the attacks occurred in the southwestern division of Khulna, where at least 295 homes and businesses belonging to minority communities were destroyed. In addition, 219 structures were damaged in Rangpur, 183 in Mymensingh, 155 in Rajshahi, 79 in Dhaka, 68 in Barishal, 45 in Chattogram, and 25 in Sylhet. The extent of the damage varied, with some areas experiencing severe destruction, while others sustained less significant harm. Two members of the Hindu community were killed in the violence, and a total of 912 attacks were documented. Of these, in at least 506 cases, the victims were affiliated with Awami League. Correspondents from Prothom Alo personally observed 546 damaged houses and businesses, accounting for 51 percent of the total damaged structures.
Minority groups in Bangladesh reported 2,010 incidents of communal violence across the country between 4-20 August 2024. 1,705 families were directly affected in the violence. Among them, 157 families had their homes and businesses were attacked, looted, vandalized, and set on fire. Lands of some of the families were forcibly occupied. 9 people died in the violence. An investigation published on 30 October by Netra News found that none of the murders bore clear signs of religious or communal motives. Instead, a mix of political retribution, mob violence, and criminal homicides was behind the incidents involving the seven deaths. Additionally, some cases, the Unity Council's assertions were undercut by the very news reports they cited and by their own grassroots officials.
According to sources from the police headquarters, following the fall of the Awami League government, between 5 August and 9 August, there have been 47 incidents surrounding puja mandaps (pandals), including the vandalism of 30 idols and temples, 4 thefts or robberies, 3 arson attacks, and 10 other incidents. According to Bangladesh police, 35 untoward incidents related to Durga Puja in Bangladesh since October 1. And 17 persons have been arrested and about a dozen cases registered. 
"Samakal" analyzed 296 incidents of communal violence against Hindu communities and found 135 to be true.
At a press conference organized by the Bangladesh Chhatra Oikya Parishad, an organization representing the minority community, it was stated that 49 teachers from the minority community have been forced to resign between from 5 - 31 August. At the press conference, Haripada Das, the principal of Gallak Adarsha Degree College in Faridganj, Chandpur, shared his personal experience. He said that his house was vandalized and looted on the evening of 5 August just after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government. He and his family barely managed to escape with their lives. Where his family members have since returned home, he has not yet been able to do so. He is regularly threatened to resign and is fearful about resuming his duties at the college. However, according to government instructions, he is required to join the college tomorrow, Sunday.
Khulna Division.
The highest number of attacks occurred in the Khulna Division, with 74 homes and businesses destroyed in the Khulna district between 5-20 August, followed by Jashore, Satkhira, and Magura.
On the night of 5 August, an attack was launched on Bejpara, a neighborhood in Jashore town where at least 200 Hindu families reside. According to local residents, around 9:15 PM, a group of 20 to 25 individuals armed with cleavers and sticks attacked the area, damaging and looting houses.
On 6 August, a retired schoolteacher, Mrinal Kanti Chatterjee, was killed Bagerhat Sadar Upazila. The slain teacher's daughter, Priyonthi Chatterjee, stated that Muslims attacked their house, killed her father, and struck her mother on the head. Priyonthi Chatterjee further said that her parents called the police and army, none of them did not answer the calls. In Jashore, 50 Hindu houses were attacked, torched, looted, and robbed at various locations.
In Meherpur, nine Hindu houses were attacked, including one belonging to an Awami League leader.
Several thousand people vandalized at least 25 shops and looted goods in Narkelbaria Bazar of Bagharpara Upazila.
The house of Narkelbaria Union Parishad Chairman Bablu Kumar Saha was also attacked. Subsequently, 10-12 individuals armed with machetes and locally made weapons entered the house of Liton Kundu in Narkelbaria village. They held the occupant's hostage and stole three bhoris of gold and Tk 2,700. Narkelbaria Union Parishad Chairman Bablu Kumar Saha stated that members of the Hindu community now feel insecure in the area.
Twenty to twenty-five Hindu houses were vandalized and looted in five villages of Dhalgram Union Parishad in Bagharpara Upazila in four times.
Attacks and vandalism also occurred in Natumgram, Sultannagar, Amrojhuta village, and Khatuadanga Bazar in Monirumpur Upazila, as well as in Payra Union and Dhopadi villages in Abhaynagar Upazila.
On 7 August, in Keshabpur Upazila of Jessore, an attack was carried out on a Hindu businessman's home, and his business establishment was looted.
Reports indicate that religious centers associated with the Hindu movement ISKCON and temples dedicated to the goddess Kali were also targeted. According to Yudhistir Govinda Das, ISKCON's spokesperson in India, 'One of our ISKCON centers (rented) in Meherpur (Khulna Division) was burned, including the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi. Three devotees residing at the center managed to escape and survive.' This statement was made in a post on X.
Minority-owned homes and businesses in Koyra Upazila of Khulna District were looted. Additionally, there have been allegations of abduction and assault of Hindu women.
On 14 August, a Hindu businessman's house in Khulna was looted and set on fire.
On 21 September, multiple temples in Dacope Upazila of Khulna have repeatedly received anonymous letters via mail addressed to the temple's Puja celebration committees. The letters state, "To celebrate Durga Puja, each temple must pay a donation of five lakh taka." Along with this, the letters issue a chilling threat: anyone who informs the authorities or the press will be killed. The committee has decided to cancel the Durga Puja. The content of the letters sent to the three temples is almost identical.
On 5 September in Khulna, local Muslims and madrasa students reportedly beat up a 15-year-old boy named Utsab Mandal for allegedly insulting Islam. Media first reported that the boy had succumbed to death but later an ISPR statement — the office of the military spokesperson — stated that he is alive.
In Maheshpur Upazila, 207 decimals of land inherited by Bharat Das and his brother Shambhu Das were seized. Bharat Das alleged that on 5 September several people damaged the crops on the land. Bharat Das further mentioned that they have been cultivating that land since birth. But now they are being threatened with murder and other forms of intimidation if they attempt to go to their land.
On 10 October, golden crown of idol, gifted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Jessoreswari Kali Temple in Shyamnagar has been stolen.
Rangpur Division.
The second largest number of attacks occurred in Rangpur Division. The minority communities in the districts within this division were particularly targeted.
On 5 August, in Lalmonirhat, fires were set to the homes of "Puja Udjapan Parishad" member Pradip Chandra Roy, four families in Kaliganj Upazila, and twelve Hindu houses in Hatibandha Upazila, along with looting. On the same day, several Hindu homes in Panchagarh were attacked and vandalized. Ten houses in Dinajpur were also vandalized, and a temple in Railbazarhat was attacked. In Lakshmipur, a group of 200–300 people set fire to a two-story Hindu house.
In Phulbari, Kurigram, a 16-years-old schoolgirl from the was abducted. Locals report that at the beginning of September, a letter was posted on a tree in the Hindu neighborhood, stating, "This house's girl will be taken away and converted to Islam." Later, on September 4, Ranjit Chandra Sen filed a general diary in the Phulbari Police Station. Locals also report that on Wednesday, around 5 p.m., while she was returning home from a coaching center, Alinur Rahman and his accomplices abducted her.
On October 1, idols were vandalized by a hindu in Kotwali, Sundarganj. The police arrested a person named Bhavesh Chandra Das in connection with the vandalism in Sundarganj Thana. According to the local police, On the basis of secret information, the SI and his force of the police station conducted a raid and arrested Bhavesh Chandra with 250 grams of ganja from his house in Kalidanga Dashpara of Tarapur Union. He is the son of Khitish Chandra Das of that village.
On October 2, 2024, locals caught Shahinur Islam vandalizing an under-construction Durga idol at a temple in Lalmonirhat's Hatibandha upazila near the India border. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained him before handing him over to police, though no case had been filed by the next evening. Witnesses said a group of 18–20 attackers had targeted the temple that night. Sabuj Roy, the temple committee secretary, noted that without BGB's quick response, the damage might have resembled a 5 August attack, when arson and looting in the village led to a police case.
On 22 November, a chartered bus, enroute from Rajarhat in Kurigram District to a rally in Rangpur organized by the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Jote to raise the demands of the Hindu community, was attacked in Kaunia. Thirty people were injured.
Mymensingh Division.
Attacks against homes, business and places of worship occurred in Netrakona and Mymensingh districts, with fewer incidents being reported in Sherpur and Jamalpur. While multiple Hindu owned shops were looted and vandalized in Netrakona town.
Avirup Sarkar is a Bangladeshi Hindu. His cousin lives in Netrokona, almost 100 people entered their house armed with sticks, vandalized her home. They took all the cash and jewellery. While retreating with the spoils, the mob shouted, "You people are descendants of the Awami League! Because of you this country is in a bad shape. You should leave the country."
On 6 August, BNP leader (Jubo Dol) Kabirul Islam took control of five business establishments owned by Hindus in Dobaura. One of the victims, Atul Sarkar, stated that they had been running their businesses since 1997. After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August, their business establishments were seized on 6 August.
On the midnight of 12 August, a fire was set at the house of Dipak Kumar Saha in Netrakona Sadar Upazila, burning