RRAG condemns Dr Yunus for letting loose Ansarullah Bangla Team, Bangladesh Army and judiciary to target religious minorities

The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) on Tuesday condemned Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Dr Muhammad Yunus for letting loose the Ansarullah Bangla Team, Bangladesh Army and the judiciary to target religious minorities in the country.

On 23 October 2025, several Islamist groups with the support from the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus staged coordinated demonstrations calling for a nationwide ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). During one protest in Dhaka, student participants chanted inflammatory slogans and accused the ISKCON members of acting as Indian agents and called for detention and expulsion of the ISKCON devotees from Bangladesh. On the same day, the Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh issued a press release repeating the same baseless allegations and demanding ISKCON’s ban. Demonstrations were also held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University further amplifying sectarian rhetoric.

“Disturbingly, Jashimuddin Rahmani, the former leader of the al-Qaeda–linked Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) convicted for his role in the murder of blogger Rajib Haider and other terrorism-related offenses, was seen participating in the Baitul Mukarram protest. Rahmani’s re-emergence in extremist rallies underscores the support of Dr Yunus' government for the extreme Islamist radical elements.”- stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Army sought to forcibly occupy the lands of the Arjya Kirti Buddhist temple at Bormachari, Khagrachari district on 24 October 2025 for the purposes of establishing a temporary military camp. This follows the killing of three innocent youths by the Bangladesh Army on 28 September 2025 at Guimara under Khagrachari district while protesting against the failure of the authorities to arrest three Muslim settlers who had gang raped a 14-year-old girl on 23 September 2025. There has been growing anger against increasing sexual violence against indigenous girls with impunity including gang rape and murder of Chingma Khiyang (29), an indigenous Khiyang woman at Thanchi, Bandarban on 5 May 2025 and gang rape of a Tripuri Hindu schoolgirl at Bhaibonchara, Khagrachhari in July 2025.

“Religious minorities have been facing discrimination across the country. On 21 October 2025, the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) suspended student Sreeshant Roy for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through his Reddit posts and on 22 October 2025, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate sent Mr Roy to jail under the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025 showing the growing weaponisation of the justice system against the religious minorities.” – further stated Mr Chakma.