Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government and a Nobel laureate, has dismissed recent reports of widespread violence against the minority Hindu community in his country, calling them “fake news” and claiming they are a “specialty” of India.
In a recent interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan of Zeteo, Yunus was asked to respond to concerns about violence against Hindus, citing a protest last November where approximately 30,000 Hindus in Bangladesh reportedly gathered to protest against the government and claims by a minority rights group that there had been over 2,000 attacks on Hindus since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. The interviewer also noted that US President Donald Trump had referred to the violence as “barbaric.”
Yunus’s Response: Yunus categorically denied the international reports, stating, “First of all these are fake news. You can’t go by those fake news. One of the specialty of India right now is fake news; barrage of fake news.”
When pressed on whether he was suggesting the violence was exaggerated or non-existent, he suggested that any conflict was likely limited to typical disputes, such as a “family problem, land problem and something” between neighbours, which are then wrongly labeled as Hindu-Muslim issues.
The Chief Adviser stated that the interim government, which took power following the violent public protests that led to Sheikh Hasina’s deposition in 2024, is “very alert” on this issue, claiming, “this is the one thing the India is always pushing.”
Message to Hindu Community: Addressing the Hindu community in Bangladesh, Yunus advised against identifying themselves based on religion for protection. “Don’t go back and say ‘I’m a Hindu, so protect me’. Always say ‘I’m an citizen of this country, I’m entitled to all the protection state is supposed to give to me,'” he said, urging them not to “isolate” themselves.
Ties with India: Yunus also noted that India’s decision to grant sanctuary in exile to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains a point of friction in the relationship between the two nations. He reiterated his assertion that elections in Bangladesh would be held in another six months, bringing the total time since the revolt to 18 months.
Context: The Hindu population in Bangladesh constitutes approximately 8% of the country’s population of about 170 million, a decline from the estimated 22% they comprised at the time of the 1971 Liberation War. Reports of attacks on Hindu homes, businesses, and places of worship following the political upheaval in 2024 have drawn international attention and concern