Bangladesh’s Yunus Rejects Anti-Hindu Violence Claims, Says ‘Fake News Is India’s Specialty’

Last Updated:October 03, 2025, 18:10 IST

Yunus claimed his administration was “very alert” to any signs of communal tension and accused India of using minority issues to apply political pressure

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus (IMAGE: AFP)

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has denied reports of rising violence against Hindus in the country, calling them “fake news” and accusing India of spreading disinformation.

In an interview with British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan for his media platform Zeteo, Yunus was pressed about accusations of religious persecution following the August 2024 revolution that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Rejecting the allegations outright, Yunus said, “First of all, these are fake news. You can’t go by those. Fake news.”

When Hasan cited evidence of mob attacks, vandalism, and the arrest of a Hindu monk for raising a religious flag, Yunus doubled down, saying, “One of the specialty of India right now is fake news. Okay, barrage of fake news.”

Hasan, who is of Indian origin, questioned Yunus directly on whether anti-Hindu violence had increased since his interim government took office.

The Nobel laureate replied that such incidents were being misrepresented. “There is a normal kind of relationship that goes on. There’s some conflict sometimes… You happen to be my neighbour. You are a Hindu neighbour, I’m a Muslim neighbour. We have problem with our land demarcation, just like two neighbours. So you said this is Hindu, Muslim. That’s not it.”

Yunus claimed his administration was “very alert” to any signs of communal tension and accused India of using minority issues to apply political pressure on Bangladesh.

Asked what message he had for Hindus in the country, Yunus said, “Don’t go back and say I’m a Hindu, so protect me. Always say, I’m a citizen of this country. I’m entitled to all the protection state is supposed to give it to me.”

There have been repeated claims of violence against Hindus and other minorities in the country since Yunus took office. In July, the Hindu–Buddhist–Christian Unity Council had accused the Yunus-led government of overlooking more than 2,000 crimes against religious minorities. The group also alleged that minorities have been excluded from the ongoing political reforms.

Bangladesh has been in political unrest since student-led protests forced Hasina into exile in India last year, straining diplomatic ties between Dhaka and New Delhi. Yunus has pledged national elections for February 2026, but public scepticism remains high in the Muslim-majority nation of 170 million.

(With inputs from agencies)

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