Data exposes Bangladesh's dismal minority record amid rise in Hindu killings

The fresh incidents of violence follows the murder of Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December 18.

• Two more Hindus killed in Bangladesh, raising the toll to six in 18 days
• Violence against Hindus surged after Sheikh Hasina's ouster in August 2024
• Hindu population in Bangladesh has declined to below 8 percent

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Two more Hindus were killed in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to six in just 18 days as fresh unrest triggered renewed fear among the minority community in the country.

The latest victims — Sarat Chakraborty Mani (40), a grocery shop owner in Narsingdi, and journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi in Manirampur, Jashore — were killed on Monday night.

Bangladesh, which is home to the world's third-largest Hindu population, is also witnessing sexual violence against Hindu women.

The targeting of Hindu minority in Bangladesh emerged as a key trigger behind the recent strain in ties with India since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

The incidents, including the brutal public lynching of 27-year-old factory worker Dipu Chandra Das in December, has also revived discussions on the country's poor record when it comes to protecting the minority communities.

Hindu population and its decline in Bangladesh

The Hindu share of the population in Bangladesh has steadily fallen from roughly one-third in the early 20th century to below 8 per cent today.

According to the 2022 Census, Hinduism remained the second-largest religion in Bangladesh after Islam, with approximately 13.13 million Hindus. This places Bangladesh behind only India and Nepal in terms of Hindu population size.

A recent report by the Pew Research Center found that Hindu population is declining rapidly in Muslim-majority countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, citing factors including religious intolerance, social repression, forced conversions and communal violence.

In 2016, Dhaka Tribune quoted Dr Abul Barkat, a Dhaka university professor, as saying no Hindus will be left in Bangladesh 30 years from now if the current rate of “exodus” continues. He said that on an average, 632 people from the minority community leave the Muslim-majority country each day.

According to him, from 1964 to 2013, around 11.3 million Hindus left Bangladesh due to religious persecution and discrimination which means on an average 632 Hindus left the country each day and 230,612 annually.

In his book, Political economy of reforming agriculture-land-water bodies in Bangladesh, Barkat stated before the Liberation War, the daily rate of migration was 705 while it was 512 during 1971-1981 and 438 during 1981-1991. The number increased to 767 people each day during 1991-2001 while around 774 persons left the country during 2001-2012.

According to data by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), there were about 2,184 incidents of violence against minorities, mostly Hindus, between 4 August and 31 December 2024, plus 92 incidents in January–February 2025.

Why is there a spurt in attacks?

Bangladesh witnessed widespread atrocities against Hindus since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

Hindus in general have come to be marked as a loyal Awami League support base. After Hasina fled from Bangladesh, Hindus were being targeted by sections of violent mob determined to exterminate anything remotely associated with the Awami League’s regime.

The fresh incidents of violence follows the murder of Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December 18.

Public anger in Bangladesh exploded when reports suggested the attacker had fled across the border into India. This sparked massive anti-India protests and a “long march” toward the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. Both nations suspended regular visa services on December 22.

Deboraj Bhattacharjee, a Hindu banker in Dhaka, told Al Jazeera last December that “since the fall of Hasina, there is no way to deny the fear and insecurity that’s gripping the Hindu communities … mostly in rural areas.”

On December 26, India said more than 2,900 violent incidents targeting minority communities in Bangladesh have been witnessed under the Yunus government.