Attacks on Hindu homes, businesses and places of worship, and related displacement after 5th August 2025 (Extracted from UN report about Bangladesh)

 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. 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

. OHCHR interviewed Hindu business owners and homeowners in some of these areas, who reported that their businesses, houses, land and religious sites had been targeted, while shops owned by Hindus were also looted. The violence often involved property destruction, arson, and physical threats, compounded by insufficient police responses, suggesting systemic impunity and potential political motives.405 For instance, one interviewee said that Hindu funeral sites and temples were vandalized in Thakurgaon, and other witnesses described that, after attacks on their property, approximately 3,000 – 4,000 Hindus from those villages, fearing communal violence, had sought refuge near the border with India, but were reportedly turned back by India’s Border Security Force (BSF).

Affected families reported a pervasive sense of insecurity and heavy financial losses, with many losing essential items, livestock, and whole businesses. Witnesses and victims accounts provided to one source indicated that attacks were primarily carried out by individuals involved in "victory processions" celebrating the former Government’s collapse.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 organized groups. However, there were also interventions from these political parties condemning the violence. After 6 August, there were localized efforts by BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, student groups, and social organizations to protect houses and places of worship of the Hindu community. BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Students against Discrimination leaders as well as the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government all made public statements condemning the violence.

 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.409 236. National Security Intelligence (NSI) information provided to OHCHR through the Interim Government details 37 violent attacks targeting minorities that occurred between 5 and 15 August. These attacks occurred in Jessore, Noakhali, Patuakhali, Natore, Dinajpur, Chandpur, Shariatpur, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Mherpur, Barguna, Barisal, Rajbari, Thakurgaon, Faridpur, Pirojpur, and Netrakorna. Most of the reported attacks involved the vandalising, looting or burning of one or several homes or businesses. Four attacks targeted temples. In some of these cases the victims were physically assaulted, including one woman whose throat was slit and a man who was injured with sharp weapons. Nine of the identified victims were associated with Awami League political activity. 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.

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