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No credible evidence supporting claim: govt

Religious freedom conditions in Bangladesh have declined amid a series of attacks against religious minority communities, said the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in its annual report published on Wednesday. 

‘Hundreds of Hindus were reportedly killed in the violence following prime minister Hasina’s departure, though reporting suggests the killings were likely related to political affiliation rather than religion,’ the USCIRF report said.

The Bangladesh government, meanwhile, said that the USCIRF report was misleading and lacked solid evidence.

The government on Thursday in a statement titled ‘Rebuttal to USCIRF’s Report on Bangladesh’s Religious Freedom Conditions’ said that there was no credible evidence supporting the claim that the interim government, led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, was responsible for violence targeting religious minorities.

The statement, shared by the Chief Adviser’s press wing, said that the Bangladesh Police had thoroughly investigated the incidents claimed by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council.

Their investigations have revealed that the majority of reported deaths were not the result of communal violence or religious hatred, but rather stemmed from personal disputes, accidents, property conflicts, and even suicides, it said, adding that ‘these incidents were not based on religious motives but on other socio-economic or personal factors’.

‘Following a violent crackdown on protests that resulted in 200 deaths and the removal of prime minister Shiekh Hasina, Hindu groups claimed an increase in attacks against their communities and temples,’ said the USCIRF report.

It mentioned that these attacks included vandalism and mob violence.

‘Simultaneously, traditional and social media proliferated false or unsupported claims of violence to discredit the interim caretaker government led by Mohamed Yunus,’ said the report. 

It said that Ahmadiyya Muslim communities also reported physical attacks on and vandalism at their property.

‘In response to these and other incidents, the caretaker government expressed its intention to protect minority communities,’ it added.

‘Despite those government pledges, systematic pressure on religious minorities continued to generally worsen. Prior to the July protests, two judges of the Bangladesh High Court expressed support for harsher punishments for blasphemy, including capital punishment,’ the report said.

Prime Minister Hasina further issued controversial statements suggesting that Christians in the country were plotting to carve out a ‘Christian state’ from parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, it mentioned. 

‘Since Hasina’s removal, almost no Hindus—or any other religious communities—have been killed in attacks driven by communal violence. This type of violence, which the report mentions, has not been substantiated by any reliable evidence,’ said the statement of the Chief Adviser’s Office.

It said that in fact, Bangladesh has witnessed a period of relative calm for religious minorities, contrary to the narrative suggested in the USCIRF report.

The report mentions the proliferation of false claims through traditional and social media following the violent protests.

‘It is, however, critical to note that these media sources, often driven by political agendas, have spread misinformation aimed at discrediting the Interim Government. The USCIRF should have conducted independent investigations, rather than relying on potentially biased sources that spread disinformation,’ the statement said.

It also said that the political unrest in Bangladesh, including protests and clashes between political factions, had sometimes been misrepresented as religious violence. 

The statement finally said that the USCIRF’s portrayal of Bangladesh’s religious freedom situation was based on misinformation and selective reporting.

The USCIRF’s 2025 Annual Report assesses religious freedom violations and progress in 28 countries during the calendar year 2024 and makes independent recommendations for US policy.