A Century of Blasphemy Pogroms in Bangladesh: How Digital Age Blueprints Have Refined and are Accelerating Cultural Erasure

Updated: 02 August, 2025 7:36 am IST

Blasphemy: A Tool for Violence and Cultural Cleansing

In present-day Bangladesh, blasphemy accusations—often fabricated or exaggerated—have long been weaponized by Islamist forces to justify violence, displacement, and cultural erasure of the indigenous Hindu population. This disturbing pattern dates back to the colonial era and continues, with chilling consistency, into modern times.

From school dramas to religious processions, even the most innocuous acts have been twisted into alleged insults against Islam, triggering mob violence, pogroms, and state apathy—or worse, complicity.

Cumilla, 1926: A Hindu schoolteacher was arrested after Islamists claimed a school play had mocked Islamic practices. Instead of curbing the ensuing violence, colonial authorities arrested the teacher while Hindu homes and businesses were attacked.
Dhaka, 1930: A Hindu religious procession was accused of chanting slogans insulting Islam. The result was the looting of over 200 Hindu properties, desecration of temples, and participation of Muslim police and security personnel in the violence [1] [2].
Srihatta, 1932: Rumors that a Hindu boy had desecrated the Quran sparked another round of anti-Hindu riots. Misinformation, once again, became the matchstick for orchestrated communal carnage.

This weaponization of religious sentiment has resulted not merely in riots, but in systematic, targeted atrocities: mass murder, the gang-rape of Hindu women and children, forced conversions, and illegal seizure of Hindu-owned land—all under the convenient cover of “defending faith.”

Perhaps the most egregious example was the 1964 anti-Hindu pogrom, ignited by false rumors that Hindus in faraway Kashmir (over 2,400 km from Dhaka) had desecrated a relic of the Prophet. Despite the relic being recovered and culprits arrested, Pakistani state media declared the recovered item a “fake,” stoking violence.

Pakistani Communications Minister Abdus Sabur Khan played a central role, framing the incident as a “Hindu conspiracy” and delivering incendiary speeches that included threats to make shoes out of Hindu skin. Backed by political power, his hate speech resulted in the massacre of over 10,000 Hindus and the forced displacement of 300,000–500,000 more—making it one of the worst instances of anti-Hindu violence in South Asia’s postcolonial history [3][4][5][6].

Although Bangladesh emerged in 1971 with a secular constitution and retained over 90–95% of its criminal code from India, including Sections 295–298 of the Penal Code dealing with religious offenses, the state could not effectively control the Islamists to preserve the principles of inclusion and fraternity based on which the nation of Bangladesh was born.

Section 295A, introduced during British rule, criminalizes “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings” and has since been exploited as a de facto blasphemy law.
In 1988, the military regime of H.M. Ershad declared Islam the state religion, further emboldening Islamist hardliners.

From the late 1980s and early 1990s, radical groups like Islami Andolon began escalating their calls for stricter blasphemy laws. The state not only acquiesced to their pressure but began targeting secular thinkers.

One of the most tragic examples is Taslima Nasrin—a physician and author whose novel Lajja (“Shame”) exposed anti-Hindu atrocities following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in India. Rather than defend her freedom of expression, the Bangladeshi state filed criminal charges against her under Section 295A, banned her book for “disturbing communal harmony,” and allowed clerics to publicly issue fatwas calling for her death—with bounties attached [7].

Taslima Nasrin in 2019

In 2013, the Deobandi-inspired Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam released a chilling 13-point charter. Among its demands:

A nationwide ban on secular bloggers and atheist writers,
Death penalty for blasphemy—specifically, for criticism of Islam, Allah, or the Prophet.

Massive protests were organised at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka, not to oppose such regressive demands, but to support them. Instead of upholding freedom of expression, the Bangladeshi government capitulated—cracking down not on the extremists, but on secular voices, artists, musicians, writers, and students.

At the center of this censorship regime was Section 57 of the ICT Act (2006)—a vaguely worded provision originally intended to combat cybercrime. It criminalized publishing anything “defamatory,” “false,” or “obscene” that could hurt religious sentiment or disrupt law and order—carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison. In practice, it became a tool for persecuting minorities, especially Hindus.

The following incidents documented by journalists, human rights groups, and legal observers, show how false or doctored online posts—often attributed to Hindu or Buddhist youth —were exploited to incite anti-minority pogroms:

Ramu, Cox’s Bazar (2012)
An edited image of the Quran was falsely linked to a young Buddhist man on Facebook. In retaliation, over a dozen Buddhist temples and monasteries, along with several Hindu homes, were burned to the ground. The youth was arrested, but the perpetrators went unpunished.
Bonogram, Pabna (2013)
A fabricated Facebook post was tied to a schoolboy, Rajib Saha, accused of insulting Islam. Twenty-six Hindu houses and businesses and three temples were looted and burned.
Bakhsitarampur, Comilla (2014)
A doctored post allegedly insulting the Prophet was attributed to a local Hindu youth. After Friday prayers, Islamist groups—Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and others—incited mobs to attack the Hindu village. At least 28 homes and two temples were ransacked and torched. The accused was arrested without investigation.
Nasirnagar (2016)
Fisherman Rasraj Das was falsely accused of posting an image combining the Kaaba with Shiva. His account was likely hacked. He was assaulted and arrested, while mobs transported in trucks—some linked to Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat—launched a wave of violence [8].
1. 19 temples and 300 homes were vandalized
1. Over 100 people injured
1. Additional attacks followed for weeks
  Investigations stagnated, with only 2 of 8 cases progressing by 2022.
Thakurpara, Rangpur (2017)
An alleged blasphemous Facebook post by Titu Chandra Roy triggered one of the largest anti-Hindu mobilizations in recent years. Up to 20,000 people, incited by mosque loudspeakers, descended on the village after Friday prayers.
1. Dozens of homes were looted and torched
1. Cattle stolen, temples vandalized [9]
1. Victims fled their ancestral land in terror
  Titu was arrested under section 57 of the ICT Act.

A Hindu victim from Thakurpara

6. Shukhchainagar, Sunamganj (2017)
Utshab Das (19) was falsely accused of insulting Islam on Facebook. Mobs, again incited by mosque announcements, attacked the Hindu neighborhood.

15–30 homes looted or set on fire

Dozens of families fled

Utshab was arrested and charged under Section 57.

In parallel, Hindu students were arrested for simply “liking” or “sharing” content deemed anti-Islamic. There was often no verification of authorship, no fair hearing, and no transparency. Secular Hindu bloggers, artists, and rationalists were routinely silenced—some imprisoned, others driven into hiding.

From Digital Security Act to Cyber Security Act: Rebranding Repression

Under mounting domestic criticism and international scrutiny, Bangladesh repealed the infamous Section 57 of the ICT Act in 2018. But the move proved largely symbolic. It was replaced by the Digital Security Act (DSA)—a law equally vague, punitive, and susceptible to abuse.

The DSA included:

Section 28: Punishes “offensive or hurtful religious content” with up to 10 years in prison.
Section 31: Criminalizes content deemed to cause “hostility” or threaten public order.
Section 43: Grants law enforcement sweeping powers to arrest without warrant for suspected violations.

Human rights organizations—including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch—have condemned the DSA as a “digital blasphemy law in disguise,” weaponized disproportionately against minorities, especially Hindus.

Widely documented Case Studies of Persecution under the DSA:

Bhola District, 2019 – Hacked Post, Real Violence
A hacked Facebook account belonging to Biplob Chandra Shuvo, a Hindu youth, was used to spread allegedly blasphemous content. Mobilized by Islamist groups under the banner of Towhidi Janata, mobs attacked the Hindu community in Borhanuddin Upazila.
1. 4 people killed, including a teenager
1. 150+ injured, including police officers
1. Hindu homes and a temple vandalized
  Inspite of being a victim of digital manipulation; Shuvo was arrested under the DSA, not the instigators.
Muradnagar, Cumilla (2020) – Unverified Allegation, Tangible Terror
A rumored Facebook post by a Hindu youth—never substantiated—ignited violence.
1. 9 Hindu homes and 2 temples were torched
1. Families were forced to flee
1. A Hindu school headmaster and another local were arrested under the DSA and denied bail, despite no credible evidence [10].
Shalla, Sunamganj (2021) – A “Like” That Sparked a Pogrom
When Ranjeet Sarker, a Hindu youth, merely liked a post critical of Islamist cleric Mamunul Haque, over 1,000 people—allegedly incited by madrasa teachers—attacked 70+ Hindu homes.
1. Houses looted, families terrorized
1. Sarker was arrested under the DSA, while most perpetrators went free
Durga Puja Attacks, 2021 – The Most Widespread Anti-Hindu Violence since 2001:
A viral image showing the Hindu deity Hanuman with the Quran in his lap—planted by a Muslim man, Iqbal Hossain—sparked nationwide violence during Durga Puja.
1. At least 50 temples and 200 Durga Mandaps vandalized [11]
1. 1,650 Hindu homes looted, many burnt to ashes
1. At least 14 Hindus killed, others raped or assaulted
  Yet the government response was denial and deflection. Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen publicly claimed:

“Only two Hindus died—one of natural causes, the other jumped into a pond. No temples were destroyed. No one was raped.”
His comments contradicted eyewitness reports, investigative journalism, and human rights findings.

In the aftermath, several Hindu victims were detained by the Rapid Action Battalion for sharing information about the violence online. Among them:

Ashish Mallik, 30 (Banani City)
- Shuvon Kumar Das, 26 (Jessore)
- Poritosh Sarkar, 19 (Pirgonj Upazila)
- Kaushik Roy Tanu, 17 (Doarabazar Upazila)
- Mritunjoy Majumdar Joy, 25 (Ramgonj Upazila)
- Asit Baran Das, 19 (Daudpur village) [12]

A heartbroken Hindu devotee with a vandalized Durga Pratima in Noakhali

Due to international pressure and domestic backlash, the DSA was repealed in September 2023 and replaced with the DSA was repealed and replaced with the Cyber Security Act (CSA). But critics, legal experts, and rights groups describe the change as superficial. Core provisions enabling the criminalization of dissent, warrantless arrests, and persecution on religious grounds remain largely intact—only the penalties have been slightly reduced.

Despite the rebranding, the lived reality for Hindus in Bangladesh remains unchanged. The cycle of censorship, scapegoating, mob-violence and persecution continues, with Hindu voices remaining the most frequent victims of this digitally-enabled blasphemy trap. From colonial-era sedition laws to digital-era security acts, Bangladesh’s legal framework has repeatedly been manipulated to silence dissent and persecute minorities—particularly Hindus. The blasphemy narrative, whether invoked by Islamist mobs or codified into law, has functioned not as a shield for religion, but as a sword of cultural cleansing.

Escalation of Blasphemy-Linked Persecution Against Hindus since 5^th August, 2024

Since the departure of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh has witnessed a deeply alarming surge in blasphemy-linked persecution targeting its 13 million indigenous Hindu citizens. While communal violence and discrimination against Hindus have long marred the country’s human rights landscape, the post-Hasina era marks a sharp escalation in both frequency and severity of attacks—now marked by sophisticated digital framing, mob vigilantism, and institutional complicity.

What was once state-enabled persecution through misused cybercrime laws and incitement is now being conducted with open sanction by the unelected interim government. A chilling pattern has emerged: Hindu individuals—often minors or students—are being deliberately framed using hacked or fake social media accounts, with fabricated blasphemous content posted in their names. These fabricated posts then trigger violent mob reprisals, often followed by the arrest and prosecution of the victims themselves under the Cyber Security Act (CSA).

Entire Hindu communities have faced collective punishment—homes torched, temples desecrated, livelihoods destroyed, and families forced to flee in fear. Meanwhile, perpetrators frequently enjoy complete impunity. The justice system’s inversion—where victims are prosecuted while attackers walk free—signals a grave deterioration of the rule of law, digital rights, and minority protections in Bangladesh.

Blasphemy charges, often unsubstantiated or falsified, are increasingly weaponized as tools of majoritarian domination—used not only to silence dissent but to erase the Hindu presence from both the digital and physical fabric of the nation

Documented Cases of Blasphemy-linked atrocities:

1. Attempted Lynching of Utsab Mandal – Khulna, September 4, 2024
A mob of 3,000–5,000 Islamist protesters violently assaulted Utsab Mandal, a young Hindu man, inside the Khulna Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner’s Office, in full view of police, army, and navy personnel.

He was hospitalized with severe injuries—then arrested under the CSA upon discharge.
The incident began when a madrasa student provoked Mandal online with repeated derogatory comments about Hinduism. Utsab’s alleged response was labeled blasphemous.
According to the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), the case reflects a wider trend of deliberate digital provocation followed by mob-driven “justice” [13].

2. Targeting of Kankan Biswas – Jashore, September 7, 2024
Kankan Biswas, a student of Biomedical Engineering at Jashore University of Science and Technology and President of the campus Hindu students’ group, was accused by fellow students of making derogatory comments about Islam.

A protest march was organized demanding his expulsion and arrest.
Without a fair inquiry, Kankan was labeled a “religious provocateur” and “obscene blasphemer [14].”

3. Siege of Police Station Over Partha Biswas – Chittagong, September 30, 2024
A violent mob surrounded the Patiya Police Station, demanding the handover of Partha Biswas Pintu (22), a Hindu youth accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.

The mob, composed mainly of madrasa students, mistakenly attacked an army vehicle after seeing army personnel accompany a young boy in civilian clothes, resulting in a soldier being injured.

The complaint was filed by a man named Kamrul Islam on September 29, leading to Partha’s arrest under the Cyber Security Act.
The event exemplified law enforcement under siege, bowing to mob demands over following due process [15].

4. Suspension of Sukumar Bagchi – Bagerhat, October 8, 2024
Sukumar Bagchi, a Hindu teacher at Fazilatunnesa Mujib Mahila Degree College, was suspended for allegedly insulting Islam.

On October 16th, Muslim students, joined by local residents, led protests in Fakirhat Upazila demanding his arrest.
The Bangladesh Army intervened and promised to detain Bagchi immediately—without verifying the allegations, in a troubling concession to mob pressure [16].

5. Mob Assault on Hridoy Pal – Faridpur, October 28, 2024
Hridoy Pal, a Hindu Class XI student at Kadirdi Degree College, was accused of posting blasphemous content on Facebook.

Pal denied the allegation, stating his phone was stolen two years ago, and the account had been hacked.
Madrasa students surrounded the college, demanding that Hridoy be handed over to them for immediate “mob justice”.
Pal was blindfolded, publicly humiliated, and physically assaulted while being taken into army custody.
Army personnel were pelted with stones and shoes by the mob. A video of the assault went viral, sparking outrage [17].

6) Rally Against Ganesh Chandra – Kushtia, 20^th October 2024
Islamists staged a large rally in Khoksa Upazila of Kushtia District, demanding exemplary punishment for Hindu teacher Ganesh Chandra of Paikpara Mirzapur Secondary School, accusing him of insulting Prophet Muhammad.
The protest quickly escalated as a mob of madrasa students and local Islamists surrounded the school. Police were rushed to the scene to control the situation and protect the teacher from possible mob violence. [18].

7) Forced Displacement of Subho – Chandpur, October 27, 2024
A young Hindu boy named Subho, from Dakshin Dhonarpar village in Chandpur District, became the target of fabricated blasphemy allegations.
On the night of October 27, a radical mob entered his home in search of him. To escape possible violence or lynching, Subho had to flee the village and go into hiding, leaving behind his family and community [19].

8) Mob Protest Against Bandhan – Jashore, November 11, 2024
Islamist protesters staged a demonstration in Sadipur village, Bagharpara Upazila of Jashore District, demanding the arrest and public execution of a Hindu boy named Bandhan over unverified allegations of blasphemy. The protest was marked by inflammatory slogans and mob incitement, part of an increasingly common pattern of vigilante threats against minority youths [20].

9) Arrest Without Investigation – Lalmonirhat, December 5, 2024
A Hindu youth was arrested under fabricated blasphemy charges in Aditmari Upazila of Lalmonirhat District.
Police carried out the arrest without conducting any meaningful investigation or forensic verification of the allegations. The case exemplifies how vague blasphemy claims are increasingly used to target minorities without due process [21].

10) Detention of Liton Chandra Das – Sunamganj, August 17, 2024
Liton Chandra Das, a 45-year-old Hindu resident of Naranyanpur village in Karimpur Union, Dirai Upazila, was arrested under the Cyber Security Act on the basis of unverified allegations of blasphemy. Authorities failed to conduct any factual or digital examination before detaining him, reinforcing concerns about the arbitrary enforcement of the law against Hindus [22].

11) Targeting of Shrestha Halder for Social Media Commentary – IUBAT, September 28, 2024
Shrestha Halder, a Hindu lecturer at the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), became the target of intense public outrage following a social media post in which she voiced concern over rising Islamist opposition to Durga Puja celebrations in Bangladesh.

In her post, Halder condemned what she described as manufactured objections to Durga Puja—claims that it “blocks roads,” “disturbs the public,” or “occupies public grounds”—arguing these were veiled attempts to delegitimize Hindu cultural and religious expression.
She drew attention to growing efforts by Islamist factions to compel authorities to prohibit the use of the term “Sarbojonin” (universal or inclusive) in reference to Durga Puja, framing it as a move to deny minority communities equal space in the national cultural fabric.
Halder posed pointed rhetorical questions to expose the double standards: Would similar objections be tolerated if directed at Eid celebrations or congregational namaaz on public roads? Would Muslim communities accept restrictions on the use of the term Vishwa Nabi (Prophet of the World) for Muhammad?
On September 28, in response to her remarks, IUBAT students organized a street demonstration during which they performed namaaz in a public thoroughfare. Protesters called for the “harshest possible punishment” against Halder, accusing her of blasphemy and demanding disciplinary or legal action [23].

The plight of Shrestha Halder

12) Akash Singha arrested on mere allegations of blasphemy – Sunamganj, November 18, 2024

Akash Singha, a young Hindu man from Dharmapasha Upazila in Sunamganj District, was arrested on fabricated charges of blasphemy [24]

13) Widespread Anti-Hindu Violence Triggered by Facebook Post – Manglargaon, December 3, 2024

On December 3, 2024, 21-year-old Akash Das was accused of offending religious sentiments after allegedly sharing an image on Facebook. Though he promptly deleted the post, circulated screenshots fueled outrage among certain sections of the local Muslim community.

Police detained Das that evening, citing concerns for his safety. However, the situation rapidly deteriorated. A violent mob assaulted law enforcement officers and launched coordinated attacks on Hindu homes, businesses, and religious sites in Manglargaon village.

Documented Human Rights Violations:
• The Loknath Temple, a major local religious site, was vandalized, and valuables were looted.
• More than 100 homes were damaged or destroyed.
• Hindu-owned shops, gold businesses, and two private temples were ransacked.
• Total losses were estimated to exceed 15 lakh Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) [25].

Local witnesses also reported deliberate efforts by local authorities to suppress documentation of the violence. Gabinda Das, who recorded the destruction of his family home, was reportedly detained and forced to delete his videos by police officers. [26]

Authorities filed a case under the Cyber Security Act against Akash Das, who was denied bail and remanded to judicial custody.

On December 14, 2024, law enforcement arrested four individuals—Alim Hossain, Sultan Ahmed Raju, Imran Hossain, and Shajahan Hossain—in connection with the attacks. The official case listed 12 named accused and an additional 150–170 unnamed individuals.

In response to the unrest, military units were deployed to stabilize the area and prevent further violence

Government Compensation was minimal and symbolic:
• BDT 50,000 for the main temple;
• BDT 25,000 each for two family temples;
• BDT 10,000 each for ten affected families.

The local Upazila administration formed Social Harmony Committees—a gesture widely perceived as symbolic public relations rather than a genuine step toward justice or institutional reform [27].

14) Mob Violence and Police Capitulation Following Blasphemy Allegation – Pabna, November 9^th and 10^th, 2024

On November 9, 2024, Prashanta Kumar Saha, a 25-year-old Hindu man from Ballavpur village in the Chatmohar Upazila of Pabna District, was accused by local Islamist groups of insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a Facebook status message.

The following day, November 10, Islamist groups staged two so-called “protest rallies”—one in the afternoon and another at night—during which Hindu shopkeepers were threatened and coerced into closing their businesses under fear of reprisals, despite the fact that Prashanta was reportedly residing in Dhaka at the time of the alleged incident.

That night, at around 8:00 PM, the situation escalated as some of the “protestors” attacked a local Hindu temple, desecrating religious idols (pratima) and chanting violent, communal slogans. Among the slogans heard—reportedly led by local Jamaat-e-Islami leaders present at the scene—were:
• “Demolish the shelters of non-believers!”
• “We demand the blasphemer be hanged!” [28]

Three individuals were briefly detained by police for their alleged involvement in the temple vandalism. However, later that night, an enraged mob surrounded the Handial Police Station, demanding their release.

Under pressure from the Islamist demonstrators, and in a shocking display of state capitulation, the detained suspects were released without charges. [29]

15) Hindu Man Abducted and Brutally Assaulted Over Blasphemy Allegation – Chattagram, 1^st January 2025

Pranta Talukder, a young 25-year-old Hindu man, was abducted from his home in the Patenga Kathgarh area of Chattagram city, Bangladesh, by a mob of Islamist extremists who accused him of blasphemy.

Talukder was tortured and beaten mercilessly, suffering serious injuries. The mob dragged him to the Lalkhan Bazar Amin Center parking lot, where they continued the assault in public view.

Local police were alerted about the ongoing attack and arrived at the scene, rescuing the victim from near-fatal abuse. Talukder was immediately rushed to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital for treatment.

A disturbing video showing the young Hindu man being dragged and carried by a violent mob, with clear signs of physical assault, went viral on social media platforms. The footage sparked widespread outrage, shedding light once again on the vulnerability of religious minorities in Bangladesh when mob accusations of blasphemy are weaponized without due process [30][31].

16) Hindu Student Threatened Following Blasphemy Accusation – Netrakona, February 28, 2025

Supta Saha Anik, a 25-year-old Hindu student, became the target of an aggressive and coordinated campaign of intimidation in Kalmakanda Upazila, Netrakona District, after being accused of making “objectionable remarks” about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

The outrage was spearheaded by members of radical Islamist groups, notably Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh and Tawhidi Janata. Following the Friday congregational prayers (Jumma Namaz), on 28^th February, Islamist groups organized a large-scale protest rally, demanding Anik’s immediate arrest and issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to authorities to act.

During the protest, demonstrators reportedly chanted incendiary and communal slogans, including calls for violence, and invoked a readiness to make the “ultimate sacrifice” in retaliation for the alleged offense. Eyewitnesses described the tone of the slogans as genocidal in nature, echoing rising concerns about the use of blasphemy allegations to incite mass violence against minorities.

Supta Saha Anik is a student at Rajshahi University and affiliated with the Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League—an association that has drawn hostility from certain Islamist factions.

A video circulating widely on social media showed a mob assembled outside Anik’s family residence in Mantal village, where his father was visibly threatened and harassed by protestors.

Screenshots that surfaced online indicate that the accusation may have stemmed from a heated digital exchange, in which Anik allegedly criticized aspects of Islam in response to provocation from another user [32]. Anik was arrested on 5^th March [33].

17) Religious Intolerance on Campus: Hindu Students Expelled Amid Blasphemy Allegations in Bangladesh – Pabna, Bangladesh, March 16, 2025

In a troubling escalation of religious intolerance in Bangladeshi academic institutions, two Hindu students at the Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) were expelled on March 16, 2025, following allegations of “insulting Islam” and committing “blasphemy.”

The students—Pranay Kundu and Bikarna Das Dibya, both enrolled in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, had been involved in a Facebook debate on the night of March 14, which soon spiraled into a storm of campus-level outrage. What began as a digital disagreement quickly turned into a full-blown witch hunt, spearheaded by Islamist student groups demanding retribution.

Within hours, coordinated protests erupted across the PUST campus, with demonstrators calling for the immediate expulsion of the two Hindu students. The university administration responded by issuing show-cause notices to the accused students. Although both Pranay and Bikarna had submitted formal replies, Proctor Kamruzzaman Khan later declared their explanations “unsatisfactory.” Critics, however, argue that the decision to expel them was less about administrative due process and more about succumbing to mob pressure.

The incident did not end there.

Islamist groups soon broadened their demands, seeking disciplinary action against five additional Hindu students—Bidyut Sarkar, Suborna Sarkar, Dipu Biswas, Tanoy Sarkar, and Ankan Ghosh. In a further bid to force administrative compliance, the protestors blockaded the university’s main gate and administrative building [34].

18) Shankar Saha’s Home attacked after allegations of blasphemy from hacked Facebook Account – Tangail, March 29–30, 2025

In yet another alarming incident of anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh triggered via digital manipulation, Shankar Saha, a resident of Sakhipur in Tangail district, became the target of a coordinated mob attack after his Facebook account was hacked and used to post inflammatory content.

On Saturday, March 29, at approximately 7:30 p.m., Saha discovered that unidentified individuals had gained access to his Facebook profile and uploaded objectionable material. Acting swiftly, he submitted a signed, written complaint to the Officer-in-Charge of Sakhipur Police Station, requesting urgent legal action against the cyber attackers.

The following day, March 30, an Islamist mob descended on Saha’s home. What began as an act of digital sabotage quickly escalated into a full-blown physical assault:

The mob looted and ransacked the house, destroying furniture and personal belongings.
In a deliberate act of religious desecration, the attackers publicly burned a photograph of Goddess Lakshmi, a revered Hindu deity, symbolically targeting the faith of the victim.

While police have since acknowledged the attack and launched an investigation, questions remain about their failure to provide protection, even after having prior warning [35].

19) Muslim mob attempts to lynch Akhil Chandra Mondal after accusing him of ‘blasphemy’, police arrests victim instead of the attackers – Tangail, April 6, 2025

A frenzied mob of Muslim extremists in Tangail District, Bangladesh, attempted to lynch a 40-year-old Hindu man, Akhil Chandra Mondal, after accusing him of hurting religious sentiments by mocking Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

According to local reports, the violence was sparked by allegations that Mondal had posted an “indecent cartoon” on Facebook. A mob of Islamists had initially cornered Akhil Chandra Mondal at his jewellery shop. Though he narrowly escaped and sought refuge in a nearby store, the mob soon tracked him down and launched a brutal assault.

Graphic video footage, which later surfaced on social media, shows Akhil Chandra Mondal being stripped, beaten with sticks and rods, and bleeding heavily from the head as he was dragged by the crowd, his shirt torn, his body subjected to repeated punches and blows.

Law enforcement and army personnel arrived at the scene and were able to extract Mondal from the violent mob. However, in a deeply troubling move, police proceeded to arrest the victim, while no immediate action was taken against the attackers who nearly killed him.

Following their failed lynching attempt, Islamist protestors gathered outside the Tangail Sadar Upazila Parishad, continuing to demand punishment for Mondal [36].

Attempted mob-lynching of Akhil Chandra Mondal

20) Widespread Anti-Hindu Violence and Forced Exodus in Dinajpur – 3-10 April, 2025

A wave of communal unrest swept through the Bantara village in Dinajpur Sadar Upazila on 6^th April following allegations that a Hindu man, Sobuj Das, had made blasphemous remarks about Prophet Muhammad.

In response, Muslim demonstrators—joined by hardline Islamist organizations such as Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam blocked the Dinajpur-Gobindaganj highway, demanding the arrest and execution of Sobuj Das.

Despite the presence of police and army personnel, Muslim mobs rampaged through the area, unleashing widespread violence. Hindu-owned businesses were threatened, and a blanket shutdown of Hindu commercial activity was declared by the “protestors” [37].

On the night of April 3, three days prior to the protest, Muslim residents of Bantara reportedly imposed an unofficial boycott on Hindus—ordering the closure of Hindu shops and barring them from operating rickshaw vans. Warnings were issued that any Hindu who dared to reopen their business would face arson and destruction of property.

Fearing for their lives, Sobuj Das and his family had to leave their home. The threats escalated to such an extent that more than 150 Hindu families had to flee the village, triggering a humanitarian concern over forced displacement due to religious persecution.

Renowned Bangladeshi author-in-exile Taslima Nasreen highlighted ongoing crackdowns on local Hindus, citing the case of Upendranath Roy, a Hindu teacher who became a victim of vigilante violence. [38]

According to reports, Roy was attacked and held hostage in his home by a mob of ‘Tawhidi Janata’—a self-styled Islamist vigilante group for speaking out against the systematic persecution of Hindus in his community. He was later handed over to the police.

The prevailing fear forced the cancellation of a 16-hour-long ‘Harinam Sankirtan’, a major Hindu religious event. The atmosphere further deteriorated as radical mobs gave public speeches justifying violence and openly admitted to vandalizing the house of Sobuj Das, citing his alleged Facebook comments.

In a troubling display of performative reconciliation, some of the same individuals who had issued threats and incited violence returned later with calls for communal harmony, after the incidents began gaining national and international attention.

21) Hindu Youth Arrested Under Cyber Security Act Following Blasphemy Allegation – Narsingdi, February 10, 2025
On February 10, 2025, Ananta Kumar Dhar, a 20-year-old Hindu resident of Bokultala village in Narsingdi District, was arrested under Bangladesh’s Cyber Security Act over allegations that he had posted derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.

That same night, a mob of Islamists surrounded his home, prompting fears of violence and mob retaliation [39].

.22) Arrest of Hindu Youth Sparks Unrest – Moulvibazar, May 14, 2025
On May 14, 2025, Bikash Dhar Deepta, a Hindu youth residing in Sherpur Upazila of Moulvibazar District, was arrested from his rented apartment following allegations of insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a Facebook post dated May 11.

The complaint was filed by Abdul Kadir Ratan, and police booked Deepta under the Cyber Security Act.

The accusation triggered chaos and tension in Moulvibazar Sadar, as members of Islamist groups—including Jamaat-e-Islami, Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and the Bangladesh National Party (BNP)—accused Deepta of making “objectionable remarks” and mobilized protests demanding his punishment [40].

23) Sohag Das Faces Death Threats After Blasphemy Accusation – Dinajpur, June 16, 2025
Sohag Das, a 24-year-old Hindu man from Chandipur Union in Dinajpur District, was accused of insulting Islam through a Facebook post and subsequently received death threats from radical groups.

The Islamist outfit Al Insaf Islami Sangh led large protests, calling for his execution. Demonstrators declared:

“We love the Prophet more than our lives. Hurting his honour means hurting the entire Muslim Ummah. We demand the highest penalty—death—for this criminal.”

Others issued public appeals to Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the interim government, demanding that he order the hanging of Sohag Das.

These incidents reflect a widening pattern of digital accusations being weaponized against religious minorities, often leading to immediate arrests, mob pressure, and violent threats—frequently without thorough legal review or protection for the accused [41].

Islamists demanding the death sentence for Sohag Das

24) Mob Assault on Hindu Barbers Over Blasphemy Allegation – Lalmonirhat, 22^ndJune, 2025

On 22nd June 2025, a violent Muslim mob brutally assaulted Paresh Chandra Shil (69) and his son Bishnu Chandra Shil (35) at their salon in Ward No. 9, Lalmonirhat Municipality of Rangpur Division. The attack was triggered by allegations that the duo had made derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad, a charge the family strongly denies.

The altercation reportedly began over a dispute involving an underpaid haircut bill. According to the victims’ family, a disgruntled customer returned two days later with a mob and instigated the attack.
Disturbing visuals shared on social media show the elderly Paresh being stripped and assaulted. When Bishnu intervened to save his father, he too was beaten.
The mob vandalized the barbershop and later surrounded the Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station, demanding severe punishment for the father-son duo.
Police and army personnel arrived at the scene, rescued the injured men, and took them into custody.
No action was taken against the attackers, despite video evidence of the mob violence.
Later, a local Imam, Md. Abdul Aziz, filed a formal blasphemy case under charges of “hurting religious sentiment.”
Amid rising tensions, OC Nurnabi Mia addressed the angry crowd:

“Those of you who have gathered here are Muslims, and so am I. My heart burns over this incident. I will file such a case against them that they’ll either be hanged or imprisoned for life.”
The video of his speech went viral, sparking outrage and concerns over prejudice and bias by law enforcement personnel.
He later claimed his statement was meant to pacify the mob, not an official legal stance.

Human Rights groups like Ain o Salish Kendra and Bangladesh Mahila Parishad had condemned the mob violence, demanded an impartial investigation and called for justice for the victims.
Local political leaders and lawyers criticized the police officer’s inflammatory rhetoric and urged the state to investigate those who incited the violence.
The family insists that the incident was entirely fabricated and rooted in personal revenge.

Islamists assaulting elderly Paresh Chandra Shil

25) Hindu Man Assaulted and Arrested Over Blasphemy Allegations – Barishal, July 2025
In Barishal district, a Hindu man named Saikat Biswas, son of Kangal Biswas and originally from Gopalganj, was assaulted by a Muslim mob and handed over to the police on allegations of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad and Islamic beliefs.

Saikat was employed at a rice hotel near the Gournadi Upazila Gate. Reports state that local Muslims accused him of making derogatory remarks about Islam and the Prophet three days prior. As the news spread, a mob confronted and physically attacked him before turning him over to law enforcement.

The Officer-in-Charge of Gournadi Police Station, Mohammad Yunus Miah, confirmed Saikat’s arrest and stated that legal proceedings were underway [42].

26) Mob Violence against Hindu Families over Unverified Blasphemy Allegations – Rangpur, July 26 – 28, 2025

At least 20 Hindu families in Betgari Union, Gangachara Upazila of Rangpur District, were left homeless and destitute after three days of targeted communal violence triggered by a blasphemy allegation against an 18-year-old Hindu youth. The attacks, marked by looting, arson and religious desecration, led to the displacement of over 50 Hindu families. At least three shops owned by Hindus, along with several Tulsi Manchas (sacred brick altars traditionally used in Hindu households for worshiping the Tulsi plant)—were also vandalized.

Saturday, July 26, 2025 – The Spark

Ronjon Roy, an 18-year-old Hindu student, was accused of posting derogatory content about the Prophet Muhammad on Facebook using an account named ‘Ronjon Roy Lrm’.
That evening, a group of local Muslims, armed with sticks and makeshift weapons, attacked and vandalized a Hindu house, mistakenly believing it to be Ronjon Roy’s residence.
In an attempt to defuse the escalating tensions, Police arrested Ronjon Roy without verifying the authenticity of the alleged Facebook post [44].
Investigative journalists, including fact-checker Shohanur Rahman, later revealed that the posts had originated from a duplicate Facebook account, created to mimic Roy’s identity.

“The new profile had copied Ronjon’s photos and uploaded several posts that could be considered blasphemous” Rahman stated [43].
No action was taken against those who created the fake account and circulated the fabricated content used to frame Ronjon Roy under false blasphemy charges.

Sunday, July 27, 2025 – Violence Erupts

At approximately 4:30 PM, a mob of 500–600 people gathered outside Hindu homes in Betgari Union.
Hindu households were systematically looted and vandalized.
Three Hindu-owned shops—belonging to Dijen, Manoranjan, and Krishna Chandra Roy—were also ransacked.
The food, furniture, savings, and personal belongings of 20 Hindu families were looted or vandalized, leaving them penniless and destitute.
When law enforcement attempted to restore order, the Islamist mob turned on them, injuring three policemen—one of whom had to be hospitalized in critical condition. Local Hindus allege that after offering brief resistance, the police fled the scene, abandoning the defenseless Hindu families.

“How will we survive now? They took everything,” a Hindu woman sobbed, standing amid the charred remains of her home.

A young Hindu girl told Ajker Patrika: “Police were present when the mob arrived. At first they tried to stop them—but then they just ran away, leaving us to our fate.”

Monday, July 28, 2025 – Second Wave of Attacks

Mobs returned in the evening, armed with sticks and country-made weapons, launching a second round of looting and intimidation.
Over 50 Hindu families fled the area fearing further violence.
Police and army forces were eventually deployed to restore order, but no significant arrests were made. Most of the perpetrators managed to escape the area.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Al Emran, head of Gangachara Police Station, admitted to allowing the mob to gather, believing it was a peaceful procession:

“They attacked suddenly after afternoon prayers. One policeman was seriously injured,” he said. He further added that the Muslim mob had carried out the attack, following the conclusion of afternoon Namaz

Local resident Pramod Mahanta told Prothom Alo: “They were supposed to protest at the market, but instead started shouting slogans and attacking homes.”

Hindu families who lost everything:

Family Head	Family Members
Ranjan Roy	5
Joychand Roy	2
Panchanan Mahanta	3
Babul Chandra Roy	5
Kishore Chandra Roy	3
Rabin Chandra Roy	3
Manik Mahanta	6
Atul Roy	10
Dharanikanta Mahanta	4
Dhananjay Roy	4
Subol Chandra Roy	4
Kamalakanta Roy	6
Manoranjan Roy	13
Liton Roy	3
Haridas Roy	4
Harikishore Roy	4
Abhilash Roy	3
Amrita Mahanta	5
Jayanta Mahanta	4
Pramod Mahanta	4
	104

A Nation at War with its Own Heritage

Bangladesh stands today at a perilous crossroads. The High Court’s formal recommendation in November 2024 to introduce life imprisonment and the death penalty for blasphemy is not merely a policy shift—it is a declaration of intent [45]. An intent that forebodes a chilling future where allegations, often fabricated or digitally manipulated, can be weaponized as state-sanctioned instruments of terror against the country’s own indigenous citizens.

This is no longer a debate about free speech. It is a battle for existence—a struggle for survival for Bangladesh’s 13 million Hindu sons and daughters whose roots in this land run deeper than the nation itself. What we are witnessing is not a series of isolated communal flare-ups, but a systematic campaign of cultural cleansing, where mobs armed with smartphones and blasphemy accusations are as deadly as torches and machetes. In just the last ten months, hundreds of Hindu families have been uprooted, their homes turned to ashes, their temples desecrated, their voices silenced—forever.

The weaponization of blasphemy is no longer an aberration. It has been institutionalized, embedded deeply within the dangerous nexus of mob vigilantism and legal complicity. Every time a victim is arrested while the perpetrators roam free, Bangladesh takes a step closer to codifying majoritarian impunity into law.

This crisis demands more than condemnation—it requires urgent, actionable intervention. The global human rights community must move beyond platitudes of concern. Economic leverage, diplomatic pressure, and conditional bilateral engagements with Dhaka must be recalibrated to demand tangible accountability. Within Bangladesh, a resilient yet besieged civil society still fights beneath layers of fear; it now needs robust international solidarity to shield minority rights on the ground.

The path forward requires:

An immediate suspension of the High Court’s move to institutionalize executions for blasphemy.
The formation of an independent commission to investigate cases of digital manipulation that have incited communal violence.
The revocation of arbitrary powers under the Cyber Security Act, which continues to criminalize victims instead of perpetrators.
Guaranteed inclusion of minority representatives in policymaking bodies tasked with religious harmony and digital governance.

Without these measures, Bangladesh’s blasphemy laws will not merely suppress free expression—they will serve to annihilate an entire cultural identity.

Bangladesh’s founding ideals of secularism, pluralism, and justice are now on life support. Whether the nation rediscovers those principles or slides irreversibly into a theocratic, ethnoreligious apartheid will depend on a collective reckoning—both from within its borders and from a world that can no longer afford to look away.

For if the world turns away, history will not record this as the failure of one nation’s conscience, but as a global abdication of moral duty.

References:

[1] Carving Blocs: Communal Ideology in Early Twentieth-Century Bengal by Pradip Kumar Datta, Oxford University Press, 1999

[2] News reports from Prabasi and Mashik Bashumati

[3] Partition, Bengal and After: The Great Tragedy of India, New Delhi: Reference Press, 2007

[4] Genocide in East Pakistan/ Bangladesh by S.K. Bhattacharyya, A. Ghosh, 1987

[5] Keno Udbastu Hote Holo by Debojyoti Ray, Vivekanda Sahitya Kendra, 2005

[6] “Moslem Hindu Violence Flares Again by Brady Thomas F. on 5^th April, 1964, The New York Times

[7] https://webarchive.archive.unhcr.org/20230527185631/https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d5e7.html

[8] https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/291001/six-years-of-nasirnagar-attacks-six-cases-await

[9] https://mnabd.com/rangpur-mayhem-several-hindu-homes-burnt-1-muslim-killed-30-injured-and-33-detained/

[10] https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/228811/govt-orders-actions-against-bigots-over-vandalism