A disturbing campaign of antiHindu propaganda on social media has triggered fresh fears of communal unrest in Bangladesh, with rights groups and civic leaders warning that unchecked online hate could spill into realworld violence.
The controversy began after the imam of Tongi’s T&T Colony Jame Mosque, Md. Mahibullah Miyazi, allegedly faked his own disappearance, later admitting to the deception after social media erupted with false claims blaming the Hindu community—particularly the global peace organization ISKCON—for his “abduction.”
That false narrative, amplified by extremist elements, has since evolved into a nationwide online hate campaign using the hashtag #TMD, which stands for “Total Maloun Death”—a phrase openly calling for the extermination of Hindus.
A Viral Hashtag of Hate
In a statement issued this week, the Bangladesh HinduBuddhistChristian Unity Council (BHBCUC) expressed grave concern over the surge in digital hate speech and communal incitement.
“We have observed that a communal group is spreading religious hatred and sectarian provocation on Facebook using the hashtag ‘#TMD,’” the statement read. “Through this, fear is spreading among religious and ethnic minorities, which is contrary to all humanitarian values.”
The Unity Council noted that numerous Facebook accounts were using the tag to circulate “obscene and violent posts” against the Hindu community, many of which have gone viral. These posts, the group said, are “creating a distorted mindset among students and youth,” leading to a dangerous rise in communal hostility.
While the statement directly condemned the hashtag and urged action, investigations by humanrights monitors and digitalsafety experts suggest the antiHindu campaign has been deliberately coordinated across multiple platforms—including Facebook, YouTube, and Telegram—by a network of extremist propagandists seeking to destabilize the country’s fragile communal harmony.
Offline Rhetoric Fuels Fear
Analysts and civilsociety observers say the hate campaign has not remained confined to the internet. Reports have emerged of inflammatory sermons in several mosques, where clerics allegedly echoed antiHindu rhetoric during Friday khutbahs, calling for boycotts and “retaliation.”
Even after Miyazi’s staged disappearance was exposed and he confessed to orchestrating the hoax, local extremists continued to organize marches and rallies under the banner of “defending Islam,” falsely portraying Hindus as aggressors.
“The situation is deeply concerning,” said Mohammad Amin, a Dhakabased interfaith researcher. “Rumordriven narratives and sermons that invoke religion to justify hatred can spread faster than any factcheck or correction. Bangladesh has seen too many examples of how such rhetoric ends—in burned homes, displaced families, and destroyed trust.”
The Unity Council’s Call to Action
The Bangladesh HinduBuddhistChristian Unity Council, a longstanding advocacy body for minority rights, urged both the government and socialmedia platforms to act decisively.
The statement called on authorities to identify and punish the perpetrators of communal agitation, warning that “such propaganda is pushing the country toward instability.”
It continued: “In an independent country where all communities coexist, such hatedriven campaigns can never be acceptable. Those who destroy communal harmony and incite religious hatred must be brought to exemplary justice.”
Full statement available here (PDF)
The council also appealed for stronger enforcement against digital hate speech and closer coordination between state agencies, law enforcement, and platform regulators to prevent the further spread of incitement.
Hate Amplified by Algorithms
Digital analysts say the spread of the #TMD hashtag highlights how online platforms can rapidly magnify extremist narratives in Bangladesh, where social media penetration is deep but moderation remains weak.
“Once hate content goes viral, it’s nearly impossible to contain it without platformlevel intervention,” said Akramul Haque, a digital communications expert. “The algorithms reward engagement, and outrage spreads faster than empathy.”
Facebook and YouTube have faced repeated criticism for their slow responses to communal disinformation in South Asia, where violent flashpoints—from Ramu in 2012 to Comilla in 2021—were often preceded by fabricated socialmedia posts.
Broader Historical Context
Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, which once made up nearly a quarter of the population, now accounts for less than 8%. Over the decades, they have endured cycles of persecution, displacement, and landgrabbing. Although successive governments have pledged to protect minority rights, communal violence continues to erupt periodically—often triggered by online rumors or political manipulation.
Observers say the current surge of antiHindu rhetoric follows a familiar pattern: a manufactured controversy, amplified online, weaponized by extremists, and tolerated by an underprepared regulatory system.
“What begins as a digital storm often ends in real bloodshed,” said Advocate Imtiaz Mahmood, a veteran humanrights activist. “The danger is not hypothetical—it’s historical.”
Urgent Calls for Oversight
The BHBCUC’s statement has renewed debate over how Bangladesh’s lawenforcement and cybercrime agencies address hate speech. Critics argue that existing laws, such as the Digital Security Act, are inconsistently enforced—often used against journalists or dissidents rather than hate preachers and extremist propagandists.
Rights advocates are urging the government to refocus enforcement on content that directly incites violence, while ensuring due process and transparency.
A Nation at a Crossroads
As Bangladesh’s civic space narrows and communal rhetoric intensifies, moderate voices are sounding the alarm.
“This is a moment that will test Bangladesh’s moral foundation as a secular democracy,” said Imtiaz Mahmood. “The government must not only condemn hate—it must dismantle the networks that profit from it.”
For now, Hindu families across the country remain anxious. “We are scared to speak out,” said one elderly resident of Gazipur. “The lies spread faster than the truth, and the hatred grows louder every day.”
The Unity Council’s message is unambiguous: hatred cannot be allowed to metastasize unchecked. Without swift, principled action, the digital campaign against minorities risks becoming another tragic chapter in Bangladesh’s long struggle between pluralism and prejudice.
