DHAKA, Bangladesh — Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the interim government’s chief advisor, visited the historic Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka on Tuesday, pledging to protect the rights and safety of Bangladesh’s minority communities amidst a wave of violence following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus’s visit comes at a critical time, as attacks on Hindus, the country’s largest minority, have surged since Hasina’s departure on August 5. According to reports by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, there have been 205 incidents targeting minorities across 52 districts. The violence has prompted thousands of Hindus to stage protests in Dhaka and Chattagram, demanding stronger protections and legal reforms, including the establishment of special courts to try perpetrators of religious persecution.
Addressing devotees and temple officials during his visit, Yunus emphasized the importance of unity and equal rights for all citizens, regardless of religion. “Rights are equal for everyone. We are all one people with one right. Do not make any distinctions among us,” Yunus stated, according to The Daily Star. He urged patience, asking the community to judge the interim government’s efforts fairly: “If we fail, then criticize us.”
Yunus also stressed that in the pursuit of democracy, citizens should not be divided by their religious identities. “In our democratic aspirations, we should not be seen as Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists, but as human beings. Our rights should be ensured. The root of all problems lies in the decay of institutional arrangements,” he said, highlighting the need for systemic reforms to address the ongoing violence.
The Dhakeshwari Temple visit, which included meetings with representatives from the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee, and temple management officials, was part of Yunus’s broader effort to instill confidence among minority communities. To further support these communities, the interim government has established a hotline for reporting attacks on religious institutions, signaling a commitment to accountability and rapid response.
The political landscape in Bangladesh has been turbulent since Hasina’s exit, with her facing legal challenges alongside six others, including former ministers and the sacked police chief, in connection with violent clashes that have left the country deeply divided. The recent unrest has raised concerns about the safety of minority communities, who have historically faced persecution during times of political instability.
In response to the ongoing crisis, Yunus has condemned the attacks as “heinous” and called on the nation’s youth to protect all religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists. His visit to Dhakeshwari Temple was seen as a gesture of solidarity, aiming to reassure the Hindu community that their constitutional rights will be upheld.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India also weighed in, congratulating Yunus on his new role and expressing hope for the early restoration of normalcy in Bangladesh, with a focus on ensuring the safety of all minority communities.
Yunus’s visit concluded with a meeting between Muslim and Hindu community leaders at the temple, where they discussed ways to strengthen communal harmony. The leaders emphasized the importance of unity and assured each other that any attempts to harass or attack minority groups would be met with legal action.
