Council representatives said Yunus made those comments in an interview with the Global Thinkers Organisation, conducted alongside his participation in the UN General Assembly session in New York. According to the Unity Council, Yunus asserted that there is “no anti-Hindu violence” in Bangladesh and claimed many reports stem from “fake news” propagated by Indian media.
The Council countered that in a meeting held on 13 August 2024, minority and religious community leaders had presented detailed accounts of violence targeting Hindus, demanding an end to what they called an “organised campaign.” The Unity Council pointed to data documented by a UN fact-finding mission in February 2025, which it says recorded attacks beginning on 5 August 2024 and reported ongoing assaults in various districts.
Over the period from August 2024 to June 2025, the Unity Council asserts that 2,442 incidents involving communal violence were reported, including killings, sexual assaults, arson, looting and attacks on places of worship, with little accountability for perpetrators. Those figures have been contested by the interim government, which has dismissed many incidents as politically motivated disturbances rather than communal or religiously targeted acts.
Yunus’s denial has drawn immediate criticism not only from the Unity Council but also from wider minority community leaders. They argue that the comments undermine their safety and the legitimacy of their grievances. In response, the Unity Council issued a protest letter calling Yunus’s dismissal of the allegations a rejection of “truth” and accused him of insulating the government from responsibility.
Observers note that tensions have been heightened since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, when the interim government took power. Widespread reports emerged of attacks on Hindu homes, businesses and temples following that upheaval. The Unity Council has been among the most vocal critics of the interim administration’s handling of communal violence, alleging that state institutions have failed to protect - or have actively suppressed - minority rights defenders.
In several high-profile incidents since 2024, law enforcement’s response has drawn scrutiny. The 2025 attack on Hindu neighbourhoods in Gangachara, Rangpur, saw dozens of homes vandalised and looted, prompting accusations that local authorities failed to respond in time. Local residents claimed that even after police deployment, violence continued unabated.