RRAG Alleges Targeted Violence Against Hindu Minorities in Bangladesh, Claims 17 Killings Since December 2025

New Delhi: A new report by the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), a New Delhi-based rights organisation, has claimed that there has been a surge in alleged targeted attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

The RRAG also claimed that arson on homes and murders were occurring amid the backdrop of election-related tensions.

According to the RRAG report released today, at least 16 Hindu homes, temples, and assets were set on fire between December 1, 2025, and January 31, 2026, with seven of these incidents taking place in the last week alone. The affected areas include Mirsarai and Raozan in Chittagong (the region with the highest number of cases), Pirojpur, and Sylhet.

The individuals whose properties were reportedly targeted include Tapan Dhar, the late Amio Dhar, Kanu Nath, Amio Dhar, Ashok Dhar, Anup Dhar, and Mridul Saha from Mirsarai; Sukh Shil, Anil Shil, Bimal Talukdar, Rubel Das, Sadhan Barua, Sona Pal, and Kamini Mohan Pal from Raozan; one Saha family member in Pirojpur; and Bikash Ranjan Deb in Sylhet.

RRAG Director Suhas Chakma described the pattern of attacks, stating that fires were deliberately set on temples, residential homes, and haystacks. In some cases, doors of Hindu and Buddhist homes were allegedly locked from the outside before being ignited, with the apparent intent to trap occupants inside and burn them alive.

Chakma said that the Chittagong region, particularly Mirsarai and Raozan, has seen the most arson incidents against Hindu minorities.

The report further claims that at least 17 Hindu individuals were murdered in targeted violence during this period. Some killings were described as “Taliban-style,” involving throat-slitting, such as those of Rana Pratap Bairagi, Shanto Chandra Das, Jogesh Chandra Roy, and Suborna Roy. In one case, Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik was allegedly murdered after his garage—where he was sleeping—was set on fire.

The full list of victims cited in the report includes:

• Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik (January 23, 2026)

• 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 (December 12, 2025)

• Jogesh Chandra Roy and Suborna Roy (December 7, 2025)

• Prantosh Kormokar and Utpol Sarkar (December 2, 2025)

Chakma accused “Islamist forces” of carrying out these acts under the guise of election violence, targeting Hindus specifically. He argued that the Bangladeshi authorities’ repeated denial of any religious or communal motive has emboldened perpetrators. Victims, fearing reprisals, often describe such incidents as “accidents” or “foul play,” even when evidence suggests attempts to burn them alive or render them destitute by destroying their belongings.

The report references statements from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who in September 2024 attributed some attacks to perceptions that Hindus supported the deposed Awami League government. More recently, on January 19, 2026, Yunus stated that of approximately 645 incidents involving minority communities from January to December 2025, the overwhelming majority were criminal in nature rather than communal.

Chakma contended that this official stance dismisses the religious angle and contributes to ongoing insecurity for minorities.

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