RRAG Calls for International Intervention After Arson Attack on Christian Houses in Bangladesh

The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), a New Delhi-based think tank, has called for intervention from the US Committee on International Religious Freedom and the European Union following the arson attack on 17 Christian Tripuri houses in Bangladesh.

The attack occurred in the early hours of December 25, 2024, at Notun Tongjhiri Tripura Para, Sarai Union, in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region. The victims, Indigenous Tripuris, were away in another village for Christmas celebrations due to the absence of a church in their village. The perpetrators, suspected to be Islamic fundamentalists, set fire to the houses around 12:30 am.

Despite a formal complaint from the victims, no arrests have been made. Local police, led by Inspector Md Enamul Haque Bhuiyan, have attributed the attack to long-standing complaints and counter-complaints in the area since the removal of the Awami League government.

Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG, criticized the interim Bangladesh government for consistently blaming such attacks on the victims’ alleged ties to the Awami League, a stance that he argues has emboldened extremist elements. He also noted that the government’s failure to take action has contributed to widespread violence against religious minorities.

The RRAG has called for the US Committee on International Religious Freedom and the European Union to press the Bangladesh government to implement a Special Ordinance to address attacks on religious minorities, establish a dedicated investigation unit within the Bangladesh Police, and create Fast Track Courts for such offences.