Reported on June 11, 2025 by The Daily Star, a mob of local Muslim men violently attacked the poor and downtrodden Hindu houses belonging to 5 families over a few days repeatedly. For the past 50 years, the victim families had been living in their homes peacefully built on this land adjacent to Jalsuka Bazaar, Bishkakuni Union, Purbadhala upazila, Netrokona District, Bangladesh.
Recently two Muslim men, two brothers named Siraj Mia and Bakul Mia of Dhara village in neighboring Khalishaur Union claimed that they were the rightful owner of the land and ordered the families to vacate it. They also stated that they wanted to build a madrassa (Islamic religious school) on this land. As a result, one of the Hindu residents named Sunil Rabidas filed a complaint against the attackers with the district administration.
In response to Sunil’s complaint, Siraj and his associates attacked Sunil’s house and physically assaulted the family members on Friday, June 6, 2025. Then on Sunday, June 8, 2025, the attackers returned and vandalized three more houses. They again violently launched their final attack demolishing the two remaining houses and forcibly evicting the residents on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 in the afternoon. Hindu families had to flee for life in the face of these attacks. Having lost everything in repeated attacks, the families are now forced to starve under the open sky.
The Daily Star news reported that the law enforcement police and administration of Purbadhala Upazilla were addressing the matter and have demarcated the land as “Government land”. It was reported that they have ensured safety of the victims from further attacks, provided food assistance. It was also reported that the upazilla administration was going to supply building materials materials to help the victims rebuild their homes.
Human Rights comments: We, the Human Rights Leaders at HRCB, take note on the facts that the attackers have violently assaulted the Hindu families followed by attacking and demolishing the houses over a period 5 days from June 6 to June 10. The police administration allowed the attackers to continue with the violence. In addition, no arrest and remand has been made. These inactions from the government of Bangladesh are hard data facts that Bangladesh Government has an implicit approval to attack and destroy Hindu religious minorities. Hindus across Bangladesh since August 2024 are living in a state of perpetual fear being at the mercy of the Muslim Extremists. Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh Government, is accountable and responsible for all these violent attacks on Hindus. It is imperative that the international communities speak up against all these violent attacks and save the Hindu population in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is rapidly progressing to become a Taliban style extremist controlled country due to the silence of the international human rights keepers and watchdogs.
Victims: 5 Hindu Dalit families, Hindu religious minorities in Bangladesh.
Location of attack: Jalsuka Bazaar area, Bishkakuni Union, Purbadhala upazila, Netrokona District, Bangladesh
Date of attack (multiple attacks over a few days): June 6 – 10, 2025 (approximate date range)
News media: The Daily Star
Social media:
News published by the Daily Star newspaper on June 11, 2025 as below:
5 families left homeless in Netrokona after houses demolished in land dispute
Five families near Jalsuka Bazaar in Purbadhala upazila of Netrokona have come under attack by a group of locals who allegedly destroyed their homes. According to members of these families, who belong to the Dalit community, they have faced violent attacks over the past few days, as the attackers claimed ownership of the land and tried to evict them.
Mintu Dey, inspector (investigation) of Purbadhala Police Station, confirmed the allegations of home demolition.
“Anil Rabidas, one of the victims, filed a case in this regard yesterday. Efforts are underway to arrest the accused,” he said. According to the case statement, five Dalit families have been living for generations on a piece of government-owned land near the railway line adjacent to Jalsuka Bazaar in Bishkakuni Union.
Recently, Siraj Mia and Bakul Mia—sons of the late Janu Mia from Dhara village in neighbouring Khalishaur Union—claimed the land as their private property and ordered the families to vacate it. In response, one resident, Sunil Rabidas, filed a complaint with the district administration. Following this, Siraj and his associates allegedly attacked Sunil’s house last Friday and assaulted his family members.
On Sunday, they returned and vandalised three more homes. Then, on Tuesday afternoon, they launched another attack, demolishing the two remaining houses and forcibly evicting the residents, added the case statement.
Contacted, Purbadhala Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rezwana Kabir said, “We are treating the matter seriously. Measures have been taken to ensure their safety. Food assistance has been sent, and tin and other materials are being provided to help them rebuild their homes. The land has also been demarcated as government owned khas land.”
Anil Rabidas said, “We have been living here for more than fifty years. Now the sons of Janu Mia have come repeatedly, beaten us and torn down our homes. We are now under the open sky with nowhere to go and no idea how we’ll survive.”
However, accused Siraj Mia claimed, “This land belongs to us. My father allowed these families to live here. Now we plan to build a madrasa on this land. No one was beaten. Some people got angry because the families refused to leave, so they demolished the houses.”