Attacks on minority in Bangladesh: Police called it political violence, Yunus brands it 'fake news'

Amid rising targeted attacks and violence against minorities in Bangladesh, the country’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has rejected reports of violence against Hindus and instead blamed New Delhi, calling them “fake news” spread by India.

Instead of taking responsibility and assuring the protection of minorities, Yunus said, “One of the specialities of India right now is fake news. A barrage of fake news,” during an interview with US journalist Mehdi Hasan last week.

‘Normal conflicts, not communal violence’

In a bizarre response amid the growing influence of radical Islamists in the country, Yunus claimed there were only “normal conflicts” between neighbours over land or other local issues, adding that such disputes should not be portrayed as communal.

Dismisses international reports of violence

Yunus also dismissed several international reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government last year.

“I would say, the government is very alert on that one because this is the one thing that India is always pushing, that we are bringing pressure…,” he said.

Reacting to Trump’s remarks, Yunus said, “Whether Donald Trump ever said anything like that, whether he had any knowledge of what’s happening in Bangladesh right now…”

‘Identify as Bangladeshis, not just Hindus’

Yunus, meanwhile, appealed to the Hindu community to identify themselves as Bangladeshi citizens rather than only as Hindus, saying this would help them avoid feeling “isolated.”

Post-Hasina turmoil and anti-India sentiment

After Sheikh Hasina was ousted in 2024, Yunus was given the task of reviving Bangladesh’s struggling economy, though he became a travel enthusiast.

One of his key challenges was to reshape the country’s foreign policy to match these priorities.
However, Yunus soon appeared to align with the growing anti-India sentiment in the country, influenced by street anger and the rising clout of extremist groups.

Mounting concerns amid violence and rise in extremism

Concerns have mounted over increasing attacks on Hindu minorities and the vandalism of temples across Bangladesh.

Nearly 30,000 Hindus took to the streets of Dhaka last November, demanding protection from Muhammad Yunus over what they called ongoing attacks and harassment. The protesters also urged the government to withdraw sedition charges against Hindu leaders, including monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, whose arrest had triggered outrage even in India.