‘A Drip-Drip Genocide’: Global Hindu Body Flags Rising Violence Against Minorities In Bangladesh

Last Updated:February 10, 2026, 11:01 IST

Hindus Advancing Human Rights Initiative warned that Hindus in Bangladesh are facing violence and systematic persecution under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

Days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed support for Bangladeshi Hindus amid ongoing violence, an international alliance of human rights organisations, faith groups and civil society leaders has issued an urgent global appeal. 

The appeal warns that Hindus in Bangladesh are facing escalating violence and systematic persecution under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, just days before national elections scheduled for February 12.

The letter, coordinated by the Hindus Advancing Human Rights Initiative (HAHRI), has been endorsed by more than 125 organisations and individuals across 15 countries. It calls on the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, India and other international stakeholders to take immediate, enforcement-orientated action. 

The signatories warn that continued inaction risks the erasure of an indigenous religious minority through what they describe as sustained ethnic and religious cleansing.

Concerns over violence rise as polls approach

With Bangladesh heading into national elections on Thursday, international concern has focused on the condition of the Hindu minority under the Yunus-led interim administration. 

Human rights advocates say persistent violence, intimidation and forced displacement of Hindus have intensified since the political transition of August 2024, raising questions about minority safety and democratic credibility ahead of the polls.

Lynching incident in Bangladesh sparks global outrage

At the centre of the outrage is the public lynching of Dipu Chandra Das on December 18, 2025. Das, a Hindu man, was killed following false allegations of blasphemy. Footage of the killing circulated widely online. Rights groups say the incident reflects a collapse of the rule of law and the normalisation of mob violence against religious minorities, adding that it is not an isolated case but part of a broader climate of impunity.

According to data cited in the letter, Bangladesh has witnessed thousands of attacks on minorities since August 2024, including murders, arson, temple desecration and land seizures. 

Blasphemy accusations, often unsubstantiated, are said to have been used to incite mobs, justify arrests and destroy Hindu homes and businesses. International monitoring bodies, including the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, have reported a rise in intimidation and violence against Hindu communities during 2025.

Sharp demographic decline in Bangladesh

The letter notes that Hindus made up around 22 per cent of Bangladesh’s population in 1951 and now account for less than 7 per cent. Human rights experts estimate that hundreds of thousands have fled to India over recent decades. They describe this decline as evidence of slow but sustained ethnic and religious cleansing rather than voluntary migration.

“A minority does not disappear at this scale without coercion," said Ajay Shah, Executive Chair of HinduPACT.

Calls for international intervention

As the election nears, activists argue that minority insecurity threatens the legitimacy of the political process. The alliance has urged governments and institutions to move beyond statements and adopt enforcement-orientated measures, including independent fact-finding missions, public reporting requirements and accountability mechanisms.

Rallies have been held in more than 25 cities across the United States, reflecting growing grassroots and multifaith solidarity. Demonstrators described the situation as a “drip-drip genocide".

HAHRI has also launched a global petition addressed to UN official Volker Turk, urging the United Nations to acknowledge the targeted nature of the violence, establish an independent monitoring mechanism and investigate the misuse of blasphemy allegations. Thousands have signed the petition.

With election day approaching, rights advocates say the situation presents a test for the international community.

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