Minorities Bear the Brunt of Blasphemy Allegations: 73 Incidents Recorded in 11 Months

The Human Rights Centre for Bangladesh Monitoring (HRCBM) has described the targeting of minority communities under the guise of blasphemy as a “deep-seated crisis.” According to their latest report, a total of 73 incidents related to blasphemy allegations against minority individuals have been documented during the first eleven months of the current year. Of these, 40 incidents have resulted in legal cases, five incidents have not led to any formal legal action, and detailed investigations into the remaining 23 cases are ongoing.

The report provides several case studies highlighting the experiences of minority victims. One particularly notable case occurred on 23 October in the Dacope area of Khulna. An individual named Purayan Mondal was arrested on charges of blasphemy. However, HRCBM’s investigation revealed that the original online insult was made by a person named Abdur Rahman, who posted derogatory remarks about the Hindu deity, Goddess Kali, on Facebook. Purayan Mondal merely responded to these remarks. Despite this, Mondal remains in custody while the original instigator, Abdur Rahman, is still at large.

The report underscores the misuse of blasphemy laws, which often results in minority communities being unfairly targeted. HRCBM has called for urgent legal reforms to prevent such abuses. Legal expert Laki Bachhar told First Light that the actual number of minority victims may be higher than reported, as the figures in the report are based only on direct complaints from victims and their representatives.

Beyond legal issues, the report highlights broader threats to the social and economic security of minority communities. For instance, in Bongaon village, Abhaynagar Upazila, Jessore, an elderly widow named Shanti Rani Bhadra had trees forcibly cut down from her land. Despite lodging a complaint with the local police station, no formal case has yet been registered. HRCBM noted that such incidents demonstrate the persistent insecurity faced by minorities over their property rights.

In another alarming case, a tenth-grade minority girl in Thakurgaon was allegedly abducted by a black microbus while returning home after an examination on 27 November. The girl has still not been found. HRCBM highlighted this incident as a stark reflection of the insecurity faced by young minority women in the country.

The report paints a grim picture of the vulnerabilities of minority communities in Bangladesh, emphasising that blasphemy allegations are frequently exploited to target them. Legal reforms, stricter enforcement, and proactive protection measures are urgently needed to safeguard the rights, property, and lives of these communities.