DHAKA, March 25, 2025 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council claimed that violence against religious and ethnic minorities continues to persist unabated, much as it has in the past, in Bangladesh, according to a press release dated March 12, 2025.

In support of this assertion, the Council listed a total of ninety-two incidents of violence against religious minorities, including eleven killings during the first two months of 2025. However, information gathered from field units suggests that the Council's claims misrepresent the actual situation, it said.

With respect to the killings, preliminary investigations by the police indicate that these incidents were not connected to communal violence. Rather, these tragic deaths occurred at the hands of troublemakers, driven by a variety of factors such as prior enmity, theft, domestic disputes and reckless behaviour.

Below are details of some of these incidents:

1. In Gaibandha, Diplu Sarker was killed by associates over the sharing of stolen money. 

2. In Netrakona, Dilip Kumar Shaha Roy was murdered by unknown assailants in his home while his family was absent. 

3. Rajib Talukder was killed due to an ongoing personal feud. 

4. In Sunamganj, Gita Rani Das died after being struck by an unidentified motorcycle while crossing the road. 

5. Umepru Marma was shot dead in Bandarban by unknown assailants outside his home, following an altercation with a neighbour over a goat. 

6. In Chapainawabganj, auto-rickshaw driver Sree Palash was killed by criminals attempting to steal his rickshaw. 

7. Sree Dipen Munda was murdered in Moulvibazar as a result of a long-standing dispute. 

8. Kanai Shabdakar died after a quarrel within his family. 

9. The body of Kanai Pashi was found in a tea garden under mysterious circumstances. 

10. Arnab Kumar Sarker, a student at Khulna University, was fatally shot by unknown assailants, linked to a previous conflict. 

11. In Narayanganj, Utpal Roy was killed by unidentified individuals who broke into his house and stole Taka 150,000 while he was alone. 

These examples illustrated that the deaths were largely the result of personal disputes, criminal acts or accidents, not communal violence as claimed by the Council.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time, the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council has misreported such stories. Time and again, they have made controversial claims about the abuse of minorities in Bangladesh. Yet, when confronted with the facts, they persist in refusing to correct their misleading publications.

It is critical to approach such sensitive issues with care, ensuring that facts are not distorted to serve particular agendas, the release said, adding the real and complex nature of these incidents should not be overshadowed by sweeping generalisations. 

"As we continue to strive for peace and harmony, it is vital to distinguish between the various causes of violence and to work together towards a solution that fosters unity rather than division," it said.