A civic platform, Sampriti Jatra, has issued a stark warning ahead of the Durga Puja festivities, identifying 29 districts across Bangladesh as vulnerable to communal unrest and targeted violence.
The group’s findings, based on a decade of media reporting and human rights documentation, suggest a deeply entrenched pattern of attacks on religious minorities and their places of worship.
A Decade of Data on Targeted Attacks
At a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Saturday (Sept 20, 2025), Sampriti Jatra presented its analysis of communal incidents stretching over ten years. The focus of the research was on attacks against puja mandaps, processions, and the homes of Hindu and other minority communities.
Of the 29 districts flagged, five—Dhaka, Rangpur, Jashore, Chandpur, and Noakhali—were listed as high risk. Another 24 districts, including Chattogram, Cumilla, Khulna, Barishal, and Rajbari, were marked moderately vulnerable. The remaining 35 districts were assessed as relatively low risk.
Growing Threats Beyond Temples
Author and researcher Mir Hojaifa Al Mamduh highlighted that attacks were no longer confined to Hindu temples.
“According to a recent Prothom Alo investigation, nearly 80 attacks on shrines and dargahs occurred within the first six months of the interim government. Police records cite 44 attacks on 40 shrines between August 2024 and January 2025,” he said.
He noted discrepancies between field reports and official data but underscored that the trend was “alarming nevertheless.”
Voices of Concern from Civil Society
Speakers at the event criticized the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, for failing to curb extremist violence. Researcher Maha Mirza warned that religious minorities are facing an even more precarious situation than before.
“The current situation is even more frightening than under the previous fascist government. People are living in fear. Attacks are getting normalised. It was the government’s responsibility to ensure such incidents would not recur. Instead, the government remains silent and allows them to happen,” she said.
Artist Aroop Rahi described the violence as part of “imperialist and fascist designs” aimed at imposing social fascism. Writer-activist Baki Billah argued that the concept of “religious sentiment” is selectively applied.
“Extremist groups completely ignore that followers of other religions also have sentiments. Even the state does not give value to their feelings. Every communal and extremist attack so far in the name of ‘religious sentiment’ has been based on false and baseless allegations,” he said.
Calls for Social Resistance
From the cultural front, Udichi Shilpigoshthi’s general secretary, Jamshed Anwar Tapan, emphasized that the lack of accountability has been consistent across regimes. “There has been no investigation, let alone trial, of communal attacks or repression during the Awami League regime.
The interim government has continued the same policy. In addition, attacks on shrines and akharas have increased during its tenure. The government has failed to stop this. Now there is no other way before us except social resistance.”
A Looming Test During Durga Puja
With Durga Puja, Bangladesh’s largest Hindu festival, just weeks away, the findings raise urgent questions about the capacity and willingness of authorities to protect minority communities.
The warnings echo the concerns of international rights groups, who have repeatedly documented the rise of communal violence under the current interim government.
The upcoming celebrations will not only be a cultural event but also a test of the state’s ability to uphold religious freedom and prevent violence.
Whether Bangladesh’s leadership will take meaningful steps to safeguard vulnerable communities remains uncertain, but the alarm raised by Sampriti Jatra underscores a fragile social fabric under strain.
