- 25-year-old Hindu woman gang-raped in Chandpur, Bangladesh.
- Incident sparks concerns over minority safety under new government.
- Reports highlight rising communal attacks and violence against Hindus.
A 25-year-old Hindu woman, who is physically disabled, was allegedly abducted and gang-raped in Bangladesh’s Chandpur district on Sunday night. According to local media reports, the incident occurred shortly after the woman returned from attending a religious event.
The accused who allegedly raped the women were identified as Rakib, Rasel, and Shaqil. They allegedly intercepted her en route home, abducted her, and gang raped. The heinous act was reported within the exit of interim caretaker chief Muhammad Yunus and the formation of the BNP-led Tarique Rahman government.
Has Rahman government failed in protecting Hindus?
The latest incident raised alarms about whether the transition to the new administration has led to any immediate improvement in law and order, particularly for vulnerable communities like Hindus, who constitute about 8-10 per cent of Bangladesh's population.
(CREDIT: TDJ/PTI)
Reports highlight a pattern of violence against minorities, including recent incidents such as the gang rape and brutal assault of a 40-year-old Hindu widow in Jhenaidah's Kaliganj sub-district in early January, where the victim was tied to a tree, her hair cut off, and humiliated amid a land dispute.
Under the interim government of Muhammad Yunus since August 2024, the country experienced a rise in mob violence, extrajudicial killings and attacks on minority communities, especially Hindus.
Rights group Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) said that in January 2026 alone, they documented 21 incidents of lynching and 28 incidents of mob beatings.
(CREDIT: PTI/TDJ)
522 communal attacks in Bangladesh in one year
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reported 522 communal attacks in 2025, including killings, rapes, and temple vandalism, with murders of 116 people of minority faiths, mostly Hindus, between June 2025 and January 2026.
The reports suggested leaders and activists of the Awami League, disbanded by the Yunus regime, were the victims of most attacks.
India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh.
Tarique Rahman had promised to protect every community
Earlier last week, Rahman, after taking the oath, asserted to strengthen the rule of law and said his government will turn the country into a safe land for people of all faiths, regardless of party, opinion, religion, or ethnicity.
(CREDIT: PTI/TDJ)
In his maiden televised address to the nation after assuming office, 60-year-old Rahman outlined his government's priorities and said that improving the law and order situation and strictly controlling corruption to restore peace and security are his top priorities.
"We want to turn this country into a safe land for every citizen.
Buddhists, Christians -- regardless of party, opinion, religion, or ethnicity -- whether living in the hills or the plains, this country belongs to all of us," said the prime minister.
(With inputs from agency)