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The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, the largest minority group in Bangladesh, claimed on Wednesday that violence against religious and ethnic minorities, as well as indigenous peoples, continues unabated.
The group issued a press release ahead of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' visit to Bangladesh, stating that 92 incidents of violence targeting minorities and indigenous peoples occurred in the first two months of this year, January and February. The minority group reported that out of the 92 violent incidents, there were 11 murders, three rapes, 25 attacks on temples, one incident of religious insult, 6 attacks on indigenous people, 38 attacks, vandalism, and looting of homes and businesses, two dismissals from jobs, and 6 other attacks. It is worth noting that in the five months from August 4 to December 31 of last year, there were 2,184 attacks targeting minorities, the group said. A delegation from the Unity Council recently visited the scene of the brutal murder of gold trader Dilip Das in Nayarhat Bazar, Ashulia, Savar, Dhaka, which occurred on the night of March 9. The press release also mentioned that the leaders expressed their condolences to the wife and family of the murder victim, Dilip Das, and demanded that the killers be quickly arrested, brought to justice, and given exemplary punishment. Meanwhile, The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha that a total of 2,601 Bangladeshi citizens have been apprehended at the India-Bangladesh border while attempting to enter Indian territory in the last 13 months. Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Nityanand Rai shared this information in a written reply, stating that these 2,601 Bangladeshis were apprehended between January 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025. According to the data shared by the MoS, 176 Bangladeshi intruders were apprehended in January 2025, as the Border Security Force (BSF)--mandated to guard the India-Bangladesh border--remained steadfast in its mission to curb illegal activities along the border. Reflecting on the past 12 months of 2024, the data shows the apprehension of 253 Bangladeshis in December, followed by 310 in November, 331 in October, 300 in September, 214 in August, 267 in July, and 247 in June--indicating fluctuations in illegal crossings from Bangladesh. (ANI)
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