The 18th Session on Minority Forum was held at the United Nations Head Quarters Geneva, Switzerland on November 27-28, 2025. Various organizations from around the world participated in this conference, where the horrific picture of minority oppression in Bangladesh was highlighted.
Since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, minority Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and tribal communities have been victims of state and social discrimination. But now this situation has taken a terrible shape. Bangladesh has now become a hell for minority Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and indigenous communities.
The speakers came from various organizations from different countries. The delegates were from Bureau of Human Rights and Justice (BHRJ), Cares Global, NICE Foundation, Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh (HRCBM), Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), Secular Bangladeshi Diaspora in Switzerland, Global Diaspora Community (Bangladesh), All European Mukti Joddha Sangsad, German Bangla Channel e.V., International Forum for Secular Bangladesh (Switzerland), Probashi Tangail Culture Frankfurt. All speakers expressed concern about the dire situation of minorities in Bangladesh. The process of ethnic cleansing of minority Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and tribal communities is underway.
After the fall of the Hasina government on August 2024, the interim government led by Professor Yunus has turned Bangladesh into an extremist state. During the country’s transformation on August 5, 2024, hundreds of militants and criminals escaped from prisons in Bangladesh and were released. Among the escaped prisoners, 700 criminals, including 70 militants, have not yet been arrested.
At least 154 Hindus have been killed in the last one year. 197 Hindu women have been raped. Thousands of Hindu homes and businesses have been attacked, vandalized, and arsoned. Hundreds of temples, Pagodas and churches have been attacked, vandalized, and arsoned. Attacks on Hindus on charges of blasphemy, and the seizure of Hindu monasteries and temples have become a daily occurrence in Bangladesh. Not a day goes by when Hindu property is not confiscated, homes are not attacked, vandalized, and arsoned. On September 19-20, 2024, Bengali settlers and the army launched a brutal attack on hill tribes in Khagrachari and Rangamati. This brutal attack left six people dead and over a hundred injured, all of whom were hill tribes. More than 375 shops were attacked, vandalized and looted in Khagrachari and Rangamati districts.
After the fall of the Hasina government, a campaign to expel Hindu officials and teachers has begun in Bangladesh. For example: Election Commission Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath, Additional Director General of Primary Education Department Uttam Kumar Das, Press Council Secretary Shyamal Chandra Karmakar. Press Secretary of the Bangladesh Deputy Embassy in Kolkata Ranjan Sen, Counselor of the High Commission in Canada Aparna Rani Pal have been dismissed. In the last one year, at least 169 Hindu teachers of various schools, colleges and universities have been forced to resign or dismissed from their jobs. Not only that, Hindus are also being expelled from the Bangladesh Police. More than a hundred police officers have already been dismissed.
Minorities in Bangladesh do not have the right to freedom of speech. All kinds of cultural events, including music and dance, are being forced to stop. Artists, singers and writers are being attacked in Bangladesh. An innocent ISKCON monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu, has been in jail for a year without any charge. His only crime – he protested against the atrocities on minority Hindus and Buddhists.
Dipan Mitra, President of BHRJ and Delegate of Cares Global, pointed out that Bangladesh is witnessing a process of population eradication based solely on the religious identity of minorities. He demanded the immediate unconditional release of Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu. Mr. Mitra demanded an end to attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh on false charges of blasphemy. He stressed that the world cannot remain silent on this issue!
MD Nizamuddin, International Director of NICE Foundation and Global Data Scientist, mentioned that the current extremist interim government is targeting the cultural and social fabric of Bangladesh. They are threatening Baul and folk artists. He aslo noted that radical Islamist groups are calling for women to be confined to their homes and prevented from education.
Jaya Barman from HRCBM noted that in Bangladesh, the minority population has declined from 30% in 1971 to less than 9% today. She cited state discrimination for the silent eradication of minorities in Bangladesh. She noted that HRCBM submitted documented evidence of persecution of minorities in Bangladesh to the International Criminal Court in 2022.
All the speakers strongly protested against the ongoing process of horrific persecution and extermination of minorities in Bangladesh. They demanded that the United Nations play its due role in protecting minoritie s in Bangladesh.
