Crackdowns on Religious Minorities Intensify in Bangladesh

7 min read

Last updated: 3 June 2026

Photo: Colors of Celebration!-4 - Kazi Agaz

Bangladesh is home to several religious minorities in Bangladesh — Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and Ahmadis — who together face a deepening pattern of violence, legal discrimination, and forced displacement. Since independence in 1971, the Hindu population has fallen from roughly 28% to under 8%, a decline driven in part by recurring cycles of communal attacks.[1] The period following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in August 2024 saw a sharp escalation in attacks on minority communities, drawing urgent condemnation from the United Nations and international human rights organisations.

Historical Context of Religious Minorities in Bangladesh

At the time of partition in 1947, Hindus made up approximately 28% of what was then East Pakistan. By the time of Bangladesh's independence in 1971, mass violence during the Liberation War had already displaced large numbers of Hindus and other minorities. However, the decline has continued long after independence, accelerated by periodic waves of communal violence linked to electoral cycles and regional tensions.

The Vested Property Act — originally the Enemy Property Act of 1965 — allowed the state to seize properties owned by Hindus who had fled or were displaced. Despite partial reforms in 2001 and 2011, implementation remains weak. Thousands of families have lost ancestral land under this law, and restitution has been minimal.[2] Furthermore, constitutional amendments in 1988 declared Islam the state religion, a provision that Human Rights Watch has noted undermines equal rights protections for non-Muslim citizens.

Buddhists in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have faced decades of state-sanctioned displacement. The 1997 CHT Peace Accord was meant to end armed conflict and protect indigenous rights, but land rights provisions have been poorly enforced. Indigenous Jumma communities — predominantly Buddhist — continue to face land grabs by Bengali settlers, sometimes with security force complicity.[3]

Recent Violence Against Religious Communities

The most severe recent episode followed the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 5 August 2024, amid mass protests. Within 48 hours, human rights monitors documented over 200 attacks on Hindu homes, temples, and businesses across at least 15 districts. Hindu organisations reported arson, looting, and sexual violence. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council documented 278 incidents in the first weeks alone.[4]

The attacks on religious minorities following the political transition in Bangladesh are deeply alarming. All individuals, regardless of religion, must be protected under international human rights law.
United Nations Human Rights Office, August 2024

Such episodes are not isolated. During the 2001 general elections, systematic attacks on Hindu communities were documented by Amnesty International. Similarly, after the 2013 Hefazat-e-Islam protests and the 2021 Durga Puja violence in Cumilla, temples were vandalised and communities terrorised. Moreover, the state response to these attacks has consistently been criticised for being slow and ineffective.

Ahmadis and Other Vulnerable Groups

Ahmadis face a uniquely severe legal vulnerability in Bangladesh. In 1984, a government ordinance declared Ahmadis non-Muslim and prohibited them from calling themselves Muslim or using Islamic terminology. This mirrors Pakistan's Ordinance XX of 1984 and has been used to justify harassment, property seizures, and mob violence against Ahmadi communities.[5]

Over 100 Ahmadi mosques have been sealed or demolished since 2004, often following pressure from Islamist groups such as Khatme Nabuwwat. Local authorities routinely fail to intervene. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK has documented multiple cases of Ahmadis imprisoned under blasphemy-adjacent provisions of the Penal Code.

Christians, though a smaller proportion of the population at around 0.4%, face discrimination in employment and education. Converts from Islam to Christianity face particular risk, including potential prosecution under sedition laws. In addition, Dalit communities — many of whom are Hindu — face compounded disadvantages based on both religion and caste.

Legal Framework and Institutional Failures

Bangladesh's Constitution guarantees freedom of religion under Article 41. However, this protection is undermined by several contradictory provisions and laws. Article 2A establishes Islam as the state religion. The Digital Security Act 2018 — replaced in 2023 by the Cyber Security Act — has been used to prosecute individuals for online posts deemed insulting to Islam, often targeting minority voices.[6]

Section 295A of the Penal Code criminalises deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings. This provision lacks clear legal definitions and is routinely misused to silence members of minority faiths or atheists. Consequently, members of religious minorities often self-censor to avoid prosecution.

International obligations also remain unmet. Bangladesh ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 2000. Article 18 of the ICCPR protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. The UN Human Rights Committee has repeatedly called on Bangladesh to repeal laws that restrict religious freedom and to investigate communal violence more effectively.

Implications for Asylum Claims

Individuals from religious minority backgrounds fleeing Bangladesh may qualify for international protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention on grounds of religion (Article 1A(2)) or membership of a particular social group. UK courts and tribunals have recognised the precarious position of Hindus, Ahmadis, and other minorities in Bangladesh in a number of country guidance cases.[7]

The Upper Tribunal's country guidance on Bangladesh notes that the state's ability and willingness to provide protection for minorities is limited. Therefore, claims based on religious persecution should be assessed carefully against background country information, including the post-August 2024 escalation. Expert witness reports from qualified country experts can be essential in establishing the specific risk profile of individual claimants. For further support, see our expert witness directory and Bangladesh country reports.

It is also important to note that internal relocation to Dhaka or other major cities may not offer sufficient protection for individuals targeted by non-state actors who operate nationwide, or for those whose religion is identifiable through public records or community networks. The Bangladesh asylum guide provides further case-specific guidance.

Conclusion

Religious minorities in Bangladesh face a convergence of legal vulnerability, communal violence, and institutional failure that constitutes a serious human rights concern. The post-2024 escalation has intensified what was already a long-standing pattern of persecution. Ahmadis remain uniquely exposed to state-sanctioned discrimination. Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians face recurring violence with limited state protection.

For asylum practitioners and decision-makers, this background underscores the importance of thorough country of origin information and specialist expert evidence. Dismissing claims on grounds of internal relocation or state protection without engaging with this documented pattern risks violating non-refoulement obligations under international law.

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