The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, a leading human rights body against religious discrimination, has strongly condemned interim government Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus for dismissing reports of Hindu persecution as “baseless.”

Yunus made the controversial remarks in an interview with the Global Thinkers Organisation (GTO) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, rejecting allegations of violence against Hindu minorities under his government.

In response, the Unity Council expressed “deep sorrow and anger,” stating Yunus’ remarks amounted to “a denial of truth.” The group recalled that during a meeting on August 13, 2024, with minority leaders at Jamuna, it had presented detailed evidence of organized attacks on Hindu communities and urged immediate government intervention.

The Council also cited the UN Fact-Finding Mission report of February 12, 2025, which documented systematic persecution of minorities, including Hindus, from August 5, 2024 onwards — violence that still persists in scattered incidents across the country.

Adding to the controversy, the Council noted Yunus himself had acknowledged minority persecution in an interview with NPR on October 1, 2024, remarks later published in Bangladesh’s national daily Prothom Alo.

Bangladesh has seen escalating violence against Hindus, including attacks on homes, temples, looting, arson, and killings, drawing global criticism of the Yunus-led interim government. The opposition Awami League has condemned what it called “inhuman persecution” and accused the regime of directly orchestrating assaults on minorities.

“Such atrocities amount to genocide,” the party stated, demanding accountability and international attention to halt further violence.

The backlash against Yunus’ comments highlights deepening concerns over Bangladesh’s treatment of minorities, raising questions about the credibility of the interim government on the global stage.