Bangladesh's Yunus Government Accused of Targeting Minorities Amid Protests

Several Islamist groups, with the support of the interim government led by Yunus, staged coordinated demonstrations calling for a nationwide ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on October 23, the RRAG said.

During one protest in Dhaka, student participants chanted inflammatory slogans and accused the ISKCON members of acting as Indian agents and called for the detention and expulsion of the ISKCON devotees from Bangladesh.

On the same day, the Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh issued a press release repeating the same baseless allegations and demanding ISKCON's ban.

Demonstrations were also held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, further amplifying sectarian rhetoric.

RRAG Director Suhas Chakma said: "Disturbingly, Jashimuddin Rahmani, the former leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) convicted for his role in the murder of blogger Rajib Haider and other terrorism-related offences, was seen participating in the Baitul Mukarram protest. Rahmani's re-emergence in extremist rallies underscores the support of Dr Yunus' government for the extreme Islamist radical elements."

The RRAG also said that, on the other hand, the Bangladesh Army sought to forcibly occupy the lands of the Arjya Kirti Buddhist temple at Bormachari, Khagrachari district, on October 24 for the purposes of establishing a temporary military camp.

This follows the killing of three innocent youths by the Bangladesh Army on September 28 at Guimara under Khagrachari district while protesting against the failure of the authorities to arrest three Muslim settlers who had gang raped a 14-year-old girl on September 23, the rights body said. RRAG

Director Chakma said: "There has been growing anger against increasing sexual violence against indigenous girls with impunity, including gang rape and murder of Chingma Khiyang (29), an indigenous Khiyang woman at Thanchi, Bandarban, on May 5 and gang rape of a Tripuri Hindu schoolgirl at Bhaibonchara in Khagrachhari district in July 2025.

"Religious minorities have been facing discrimination across the country. On October 21, the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) suspended student Sreeshant Roy for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through his Reddit posts.

On October 22, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate sent Roy to jail under the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025, showing the growing weaponisation of the justice system against the religious minorities," Chakma stated.

Meanwhile, the Assam Police Special Task Force (STF) has arrested several members and operatives of the Bangladesh-based terror outfit ABT and busted their network and modules.

- IANS