Human Rights Report Records 257 Communal Violence Incidents in First Half of 2024

A coalition of Bangladesh's Hindu, Buddhist and Christian groups released a comprehensive report on Monday detailing the alarming rise in sectarian attacks during the first six months of 2024. The study documented a minimum of 257 incidents of communal violence, which claimed 44 lives.

The breakdown includes five cases of gender‑based crimes such as collective rape, kidnapping, forced extortion and torture. Additionally, 42 incidents involved death threats and physical intimidation, while 62 attacks targeted places of worship with vandalism, looting or arson.

Land grabs were also prominent, with 15 recorded attempts to occupy property belonging to religious institutions. Private homes and commercial premises suffered 47 assaults that involved breaking, looting and arson. The report further listed nine cases linked to blasphemy accusations that led to arrests and persecution, 21 instances of forced occupation of residential or commercial land, and six other miscellaneous communal clashes.

The findings underscore a deteriorating security environment for Bangladesh's religious minorities, prompting calls for stronger legal safeguards and impartial enforcement.