Attacks on Hindu, Ahmadiyya, CHT communities mostly centred political affiliation, suppression of identities: UN

Highlights:

• Particularly Hindus, indigenous groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), and Ahmadiyya Muslims bore brunt of attack on minority communities
• Misinformation clouded the understanding and context of several incidents
• Destruction was especially prevalent in areas perceived to be sympathetic to the Awami League
• Some witnesses testified that attackers were men from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and other organised groups
• Fabricated claims drove many of the attacks

The power vacuum created by the unrest and overrunning of police stations exposed a broad pattern of violence against specific communities rooted in religious, ethnic, and political biases, with incidents clustering around themes of property destruction and the suppression of diverse identities, the UN has found. 

In a report published today (12 February) by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), it said particularly Hindus, indigenous groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), and Ahmadiyya Muslims bore the brunt of attack on minority communities.

"Different and often intersecting motives drove these attacks, ranging from religious and ethnic discrimination to perceived opportunities for revenge against Awami League supporters among minorities, local communal disputes, including about land, and interpersonal issues."

The OHCHR also acknowledged that misinformation clouded the understanding and context of several incidents, emphasising the importance of verified sources in reporting these events.

In the aftermath of the former government's fall, widespread attacks were reported against Hindu homes, businesses, and places of worship, especially in rural and historically tense areas such as Thakurgaon, Lalmonirhat, and Dinajpur, but also in other places such as Sylhet, Khulna, and Rangpur, the UN said. 

"This destruction was especially prevalent in areas perceived to be sympathetic to the Awami League, as Hindus have often been stereotypically associated with this political faction."

Interviewing Hindu businessowners and residents in this area, the UN said the violence often involved property destruction, arson, and physical threats, compounded by insufficient police responses, suggesting systemic impunity and potential political motives.

"While the identity of the perpetrators in these attacks was not always clear, witnesses to some of the incidents testified that the attackers were local supporters of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and other organised groups. However, there were also interventions from these political parties condemning the violence," the UN said.

Several allegations were reported of violent mobs coercing Hindu headmasters and teachers to resign. In one such case, local BNP leaders were among the assailants, according to the victim's testimony, the report said. 

Citing an NSI report provided to the OHCHR, it said there were 37 violent attacks targeting minorities that occurred between 5 and 15 August. 

"In respect of five attacks, the NSI report identified BNP supporters among the attackers."

In January 2025, Bangladesh Police published a report that examined 1,769 attacks and acts of vandalism against minorities reported by the non-governmental Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Unity Council that took place in Bangladesh from 4-20 August. 

According to the police's findings, 1,234 of these attacks had a political background, 20 were communal in nature and 161 were false claims.

Attacks on Ahmadiyya Muslims

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community faced targeted violence in the aftermath of the protests, with seven incidents reported between 5 and 9 August.

"The OHCHR received credible allegations that, on August 5, a group led by religious clerics attacked several members of Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh district and caused the destruction of 117 houses and a mosque, with significant additional property losses. OHCHR also documented the case of a 16-year-old boy who was severely injured during this 5 August attack in Panchagarh. Following the attack, he had to undergo brain surgery and experienced fluctuating health, later dying from his injuries OHCHR is not aware of any steps taken by the authorities to ensure accountability for these incidents, including for the killing of the boy."

Abuses in CHT

The UN report said in the days following the unrest, indigenous people encountered harassment from Bengalis, amid accusations of loyalty to the former government. 

"Tensions had been escalating since mid-July 2024, driven in part by protests over the quota system but also misinformation campaigns. These campaigns included a fabricated claim that a Bengali student had been denied admission in favour of an indigenous student, despite both actually being admitted. Such narratives fuelled hate speech and increased intimidation efforts by Bengali groups in CHT, some reportedly linked to the military." 

It said during the protests and also after 5 August, activism and graffiti campaigns in the CHT primarily focused on local issues, including demands for demilitarisation. 

"The military response centred around erasing the graffiti and detaining activists to suppress dissent."

The UN said these actions further deterred the community from mobilising more broadly, as fear of intensified crackdowns kept levels of participation low.