Abhaynagar, Jessore — 24 May 2025
At least 18 homes belonging to Hindu families were looted, vandalized, and set on fire in Bangladesh’s southwestern Abhaynagar Upazila following the murder of a local political leader. The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) has called the attack a case of collective communal punishment and submitted fresh evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging complicity at the highest levels of Bangladesh’s caretaker government.
Picture (courtesy HRCBM): A harrowing series of images shows the devastation left by the May 2025 communal attack in Dhor Moshihati, Abhaynagar. The photos capture burned-out shells of Hindu homes, collapsed structures, blackened walls, and scorched possessions. The destruction, inflicted by a mob from the local Muslim-majority population, forced entire families to flee, leaving behind smoldering ruins and deserted village streets — a haunting reminder of the night terror consumed the community.
A Night of Fear and Flames
The violence erupted late on 24 May 2025, after Md. Torikul Islam, president of the opposition Krishak Dal in Jessore, was hacked and shot dead over a land dispute involving a fish enclosure. Though authorities initially linked the murder to personal and property tensions, the killing swiftly ignited communal violence.
A mob drawn from the local Muslim-majority population targeted Hindu households in Dhor Moshihati village, looting valuables, burning granaries, stealing 31 cattle, and setting fire to 18 homes. A young Hindu nursing student, Sagar, was abducted during the violence and remains missing. The attack forced almost all Hindu families to flee in fear, leaving behind only the elderly and infirm.
HRCBM’s ICC Submission: Alleging State Complicity
HRCBM documented the destruction and raised alarm over a public statement by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus. In a now-deleted post on X.com (Twitter), Dr. Yunus appeared to blame “some Hindu villagers” for the murder and characterized the violence as “retaliatory” over a business dispute. He further dismissed reports of targeted minority violence as “propaganda.”
In its supplementary submission to the ICC (International Criminal Court) Office of the Prosecutor (Ref: OTP-CR-12/22), HRCBM argues:
The statement rationalized communal violence against an identifiable group.
It may amount to persecution (Article 7(1)(h)), other inhumane acts (Article 7(1)(k)), and aiding and abetting under Article 25 of the Rome Statute.
The attack reflects a wider pattern of systemic persecution and impunity.
“When the highest levels of government justify or excuse mob violence, it not only denies justice — it invites future atrocities.”
— said the President of the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM).
HRCBM’s Investigation on the Ground
Following the attack, a team from HRCBM visited Dhor Moshihati village to document the destruction, gather testimonies, and assess the immediate needs of displaced families. The team’s findings — including photographic evidence of the charred homes, looted properties, and empty granaries — formed the basis of HRCBM’s supplementary submission to the ICC. Survivors recounted their terror as the mob, drawn from the local Muslim-majority community, descended on their homes late at night, forcing them to flee with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Aid Gaps and Official Inaction
While local authorities provided token assistance — 30 kg of rice per family, BDT 6,000, and basic materials — HRCBM reports that:
No police case (FIR) has been filed against the attackers till writing this report.
The fire service’s delayed response exacerbated the destruction.
Bangladeshi NGOs receiving foreign funding and the UN office in Dhaka failed to offer any legal or humanitarian assistance to the affected families.
A Broader Pattern of Violence
The Abhaynagar attack fits into a troubling pattern of communal violence in Bangladesh, where minorities — including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Ahmadiyyas, and Indigenous peoples — face periodic mass attacks, often with little accountability.
HRCBM’s ICC submission calls for an urgent preliminary examination into the incident and broader crimes against humanity targeting minorities.
Calls for Action
HRCBM demands:
Immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for arson, looting, and abduction.
Justice in Torikul Islam’s murder without scapegoating minorities.
Rehabilitation and protection for displaced families.
An inquiry into official negligence, including the fire service’s failures.
International oversight to safeguard minority rights.
