The Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has alleged a series of targeted attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, including arson and killings, in a report released on Friday. According to RRAG, at least 16 Hindu homes were set on fire between December 1, 2025, and January 31, 2026, with seven incidents reported in the past week alone. The reported cases occurred in Mirsarai and Raozan (Chittagong region), Pirojpur, and Sylhet. The organisation listed several affected individuals from these areas whose homes were allegedly destroyed in the fires. RRAG Director Suhas Chakma claimed that attackers deliberately set fire to homes, temples, and haystacks, in some cases allegedly locking doors from the outside before igniting the structures. He stated that the Chittagong region saw the highest number of such incidents, particularly in Mirsarai and Raozan. The group further alleged that at least 17 Hindus were killed in incidents of targeted violence between early December 2025 and late January 2026. RRAG said some killings were carried out in a “Taliban-style” manner, including reported cases of throat-slitting, while one victim was allegedly burned to death while sleeping in a garage.
The report named individuals it claims were victims of these attacks, with incidents spread across multiple dates in December 2025 and January 2026.
Bangladeshi authorities, including Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, have previously downplayed claims that such incidents were driven by religious motives. In earlier statements, Yunus suggested that many attacks involving minority community members were linked to criminal or political factors rather than communal violence. He had also noted a perception that sections of the Hindu community were politically aligned with the former Awami League government, which he said may have contributed to tensions. RRAG, however, alleged that the official denial of a religious angle has emboldened extremist elements. The group further claimed that some victims, fearing reprisals, described arson attacks as accidents or criminal acts rather than targeted communal violence. Independent verification of all the incidents mentioned in the RRAG report was not immediately available.