The Politics of Minority Persecution From Murshidabad to Manikganj
A Timeline of Escalating Tensions and Cross-Border Accusations in April 2025
শেখ হাসিনার পলায়নের পর ভারত বাংলাদেশকে হিন্দু নিপীড়নের অভিযোগে অভিযুক্ত করলেও, ফ্যাক্টচেকারদের মতে এর বেশিরভাগই ভুয়া তথ্য। অথচ ভারতের নিজ দেশে সংখ্যালঘু নিপীড়ন বাড়লেও, সে বিষয়ে তাদের মিডিয়া বা রাজনৈতিক মঞ্চে তেমন কোনো উচ্চবাচ্য নেই। অনেক আন্তর্জাতিক মানবাধিকার সংস্থার মতে, ভারতের এই সংখ্যালঘু নির্যাতন জেনোসাইডের কাছাকাছি পৌঁছে গেছে বলে আশঙ্কা করা হচ্ছে।
Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina—a close ally of India—on August 5, 2024, diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and India deteriorated. Since then, the Indian government officials, media, and social media users have repeatedly accused Bangladesh of persecuting its Hindu minority. However, independent fact-checkers, including Rumor Scanner, reported that at least 148 pieces of misinformation targeting Bangladesh were disseminated by Indian sources in 2024 alone.
International human rights organizations and global media reports suggest minority persecution in India has been rising. Some genocide researchers have even warned that India is on the brink of committing genocide against its Muslim minority. Nevertheless, while the Indian government and media remain vocal about minority issues in Bangladesh, they appear largely silent regarding similar issues within their own borders. When such concerns are raised, India often dismisses them as their internal matters. A Timeline of Escalating Tensions and Cross-Border Accusations of minority-related incidents in April 2025 are presented below.
Indian PM Modi Expresses Concern Over Minorities in Bangladesh
April 4: During the BIMSTEC Summit, Indian PM Narendra Modi raised “serious concerns” about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh in a meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
Yunus responds by stating that such reports are “hugely inflated” and based on “fake news.” He invites Indian journalists to visit Bangladesh and assess the situation independently.
Controversial Waqf Bill Passed in India, Violence Erupts in West Bengal
India’s upper house of parliament passes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which overhauls the administration of Waqf properties—charitable assets donated by Muslims. The bill was widely criticized by Muslim leaders and opposition parties as unconstitutional and discriminatory. Protests intensify across Murshidabad and Kolkata, resulting in violent clashes with police.
April 8: Over 22 people were arrested
April 12: Three confirmed dead
Allegations of Bangladeshi Involvement in Murshidabad Violence
April 15: Indian news agency ANI reported that “Bangladeshi miscreants” may have instigated violence in Murshidabad. Bangladesh strongly protested the claim.
April 17: Shafiqul Alam, the Press Secretary to Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, rejected the allegation and called on India to protect its Muslim citizens instead of deflecting blame.
April 18: India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed Bangladesh’s protest, accusing Dhaka of deflecting attention from its own issues.
Fire at Hindu Artist’s Residence Sparks Misinformation
April 16: A fire broke out at the Manikganj home of Manabendra Ghosh, a Hindu sculptor in Bangladesh. Some Indian media outlets quickly alleged a communal arson attack. However, Ghosh himself told local media that communal hatred was not the motive; rather, misinformation regarding a satirical effigy of Sheikh Hasina may have sparked the incident. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostafa Sarwar Farooki blamed individuals tied to the ousted Awami League faction.
‘Suspicious Death’ of Hindu Leader in Dinajpur
April 17: Local Hindu community leader Bhabesh Chandra Roy died under suspicious circumstances in Dinajpur in Bangladesh. Initially, some local media including The Daily Star reported that Roy was “beaten to death after abduction”. Indian outlets, The Hindu and Times of India, among others, quickly picked up the story citing The Daily Star report and framed it as a communal attack.
However, independent fact-checkers like Quadaruddin Shishir pointed out inconsistencies and political bias in early reports of the incident. Following the fact-check, The Daily Star retracted its story, which was cited by most of the Indian media, apologizing for publishing without adequate fact-checking on April 20. Bangladesh Police said that Roy collapsed suddenly at a local market after spending time with acquaintances. No signs of physical injury were found, though a viscera analysis is underway.
Md. Sumon Ali, a researcher and also local of Roy's Upazila, wrote in his Facebook account that three journalists who investigated the incident confirmed that claims of "beating to death" were false and they found no evidence of abduction or murder, suggesting instead that Roy might have died from other causes, verified by three local doctors. Ali alleged that the news claim of “beating to death” was spread by Subal Roy, a local journalist from Biral. “You can investigate in Biral to understand the kind of journalist Subal Roy is. You should also investigate how a local incident in Biral spread so far into India.There have long been allegations of Subal Roy’s links with RAW (India’s intelligence agency),” Mr. Ali added.
Despite the fact-check and retraction, India’s Ministry of External Affairs continued to condemn the death, calling it part of a “systematic persecution”. No Indian media that published the news citing The Daily Star, removed the report so far.
Members of Far-Right Hindu Group Attack Easter Service in India
April 20: Members of a far-right Hindu group raided a church service on Easter Sunday in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, who accused participants of carrying out religious conversions. Videos posted on social media showed activists from the Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) storming into a private gathering in the city's Odhav area, brandishing sticks and chanting slogans like “Jai Shree Ram” (Glory to Lord Ram) and “Har Har Mahadev” (Hail Lord Shiva).
Hindutva calls for ‘Muslim massacre’ after Kashmir attack
April 22: Gunmen opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam of Indian-administered Kashmir, killing 26 people and injuring several others. The Kashmir Resistance (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility. Reports suggested the gunmen separated victims by religion; 25 Hindus and 1 Muslim (a Kashmiri who tried to stop the attackers from murdering the tourists) were killed. In the aftermath, Indian social media witnessed a wave of calls for Muslim genocide by Hindutva groups spreading anti-Muslim and anti-Kashmiri rhetoric. Opposition leader of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, was seen spreading such hatred against Muslims when the body of tourist Bitan Adhikary, who was killed in the attack, arrived in Kolkata.
“He was killed just because he was a Hindu. In Hindustan, a Hindu will be killed! We are Modi's children. Just as Israel has destroyed Gaza, we will also wipe them out. We will erase their name and trace,” he said.
April 2025 saw a dangerous intensification of cross-border claims, communal rhetoric, and political opportunism. From misinformation surrounding minority persecution in Bangladesh to religious violence and hate speech within India, the month’s events reflect a complex web of nationalist agendas and diplomatic friction.
About the Author:
Mohammed Raihan is a staff contributor to the Insighta. He writes on history, culture, language, economy and geopolitics, uncovering untold narratives that connect the past and present. He can be reached at mohammed_raihan@theinsighta.com | A guest post by
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