Majority of attacks on minorities not of communal nature: Bangla police

The Bangladesh police have claimed that a “majority” of the attacks on religious minorities in the country since August 2024, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted, were not communally motivated.

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“The Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Christian Unity Council has claimed that a total of 1,769 communal attacks and acts of vandalism took place against minorities in Bangladesh,” the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing said in a statement citing the council report on Saturday.

“Of the 1,769 allegations, police have so far registered 62 cases on the merits of the claims. At least 35 culprits have been arrested based on the findings of the investigations,” it said, adding in the majority of the cases it was found that the attacks “were not communally motivated, rather, those were political in nature”.

“The police investigation revealed that 1,234 incidents were political in nature and 20 incidents were communal. At least 161 claims were found to be false or untrue,” it said.

“The council said those attacks, acts of vandalism, and incidents of looting included 2,010 incidents on the lives, properties, and places of worship of the minority community,” the statement said.

In the report, the police claimed to have collected the list of allegations prepared by the council and communicated with the persons and authorities who were “targets” of the violence. The police also visited “all and every” place, establishment and person mentioned in the report of the council, it added.

“All aggrieved persons have been requested to lodge complaints with the police. Proper security of the aggrieved people has been ensured. Regular cases, general diaries, and other appropriate lawful measures have been taken according to the findings of the investigations,” it said.

According to the council report, 1,452 incidents — or 82.8 per cent of total claims — took place on August 5, 2024, when Hasina was ousted from power. At least 65 incidents took place on August 4 and 70 on August 6, according to the council, a copy of which has been obtained by police.

Apart from the council claims, the police said, they also received 134 allegations of communal violence from August 5 through January 8. “The police responded to all those complaints with utmost importance. At least 53 cases have been filed over those complaints. A total of 65 offenders have been arrested in these cases,” the statement said.

“In all, since August 4, a total of 115 cases have been registered over complaints of communal attacks. And at least 100 persons have been arrested over the cases,” the statement added.

Of 1,769 cases, 1,234 politically motivated

•  1,769 complaints of attack on minorities received, 62 cases registered on merit
•  1,234 found political in nature, 20 communal & 161 false; 35 persons held
•  1,452 incidents (82.8%) took place on Aug 5, 2024, when Hasina was ousted