Bangladesh minority rights group accuses interim government of failing to protect minorities Bangladesh’s largest minority rights group accused the country’s interim government on Thursday of failing to protect religious and ethnic minorities from attacks and harassment, a claim the government has denied.
In a news conference on Thursday, the council reiterated its claim of earlier attacks and said 174 new incidents of communal violence had taken place between Aug. 21 and Dec. 31 last year in which 23 members of minority groups were killed and nine women were raped.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said the government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus is also using state institutions to suppress minority groups.
The council earlier said 2,010 incidents of communal violence took place across the Muslim-majority country between Aug. 4 and 20.
Traditionally, Hindus and other members of minority groups have been seen as supporters of Hasina's Bangladesh Awami League party.
