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Tangail Jubo Dal Leader Accused of Targeting Hindus

Hindu Residents in Tangail Form Human Chain on January 26, 2025, to Protest Alleged Violence by Jubo Dal Leader’s Gang, Linked to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)

Minority Watch, Tangail

Zahid Hossain Mala, the joint convener of the District Jubo Dal, the youth wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is facing accusations of persecuting minority communities in the Biswas Betka area of Tangail Municipality.

On Sunday, January 26, local residents organized a human chain around noon in front of the Biswas Betka Sri Sri Kali Mandir to protest the alleged violence committed by a gang led by Mala.

Protestors claimed that local police prevented them from holding a similar protest at the Tangail Press Club. “We originally planned to form a human chain outside the press club, but police interference forced us to relocate to the temple grounds,” said Nupur Chandra, one of the protestors.

Chandra further accused Mala’s group of ongoing harassment. “On Saturday afternoon, members of Mala Bahini attacked a teenager, Pranoy Chandra, at his home. We demand justice for this attack and for the safety of our community,” he said.

The protestors called for greater protection from the government to ensure the peaceful coexistence of the Hindu minority community in Tangail.

Among the protestors were Ramnath Chandra Sutradhar, General Secretary of the Biswas Betka Sri Sri Kali Mandir, and other local Hindu community leaders.

These allegations come amid rising violence against minority communities across Bangladesh, especially following the fall of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.

While police investigations have suggested that many of these incidents were politically motivated, they have nonetheless contributed to growing mistrust and division within the community.

“These attacks have deepened societal rifts and eroded confidence in the interim government led by Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, which has failed to take decisive action,” said Manindra Kumar Nath, acting general secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC).

Nath also emphasized the scale of the violence, noting that it has triggered widespread protests among minority groups.

According to police, 1,254 of the 1,415 reported incidents have been verified. Of these, 98.4% were politically motivated, while only 1.59% were attributed to communal tensions.

The BHBCUC, which represents a coalition of minority communities, reported 2,010 incidents of violence between August 4 and August 20, 2024, including attacks, vandalism, nine murders, four rapes, and 69 assaults on religious sites. Among these, 1,769 incidents involved physical violence or property damage.

A significant spike in violence occurred on August 5, 2024, when 1,452 incidents were recorded—accounting for over 80% of the total reported attacks. This period marked a dramatic breakdown in law and order nationwide, following the collapse of the Awami League government.

From August 5, 2024, to January 8, 2025, police logged 134 additional complaints, leading to 53 cases, 53 general diaries, and 63 arrests. However, Manindra Kumar Nath told Minority Watch that his organization documented 189 more communal attacks between August 21 and December 29, 2024, as reported by local media.

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