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New Delhi: Minority communities in Bangladesh are likely to boycott the general elections in Bangladesh on February 12 to protest against the atrocities being committed against Hindus and other minorities. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHDCU) held a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday and alleged that minorities are staying out in large numbers due to the security situation in the country ahead of the elections.

The largest minority organization in Bangladesh has alleged that in the current situation, there is no guarantee of the safety of minorities. Consequently, members of the minority community may not go to the polling booths. The organization has also strongly objected to the referendum, stating that the issues being discussed are against the interests of minorities. This time, on the day of the general election, voters will have to vote on two ballots: one for the election of an MP, and the other for a referendum on constitutional amendments. Voters must tick either a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ box.

Minority communities fearful of hate speech
The Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council said in a press conference on Thursday that there are still many difficulties in conducting inclusive elections with free participation of all irrespective of caste, religion, caste, as hate speech by communal groups, hatred and violence against people with different views due to differences in religious beliefs are not only destroying communal harmony, but such inflammatory statements are also leading to religious attacks on the marginalized communities.

As a result, fear is growing among men, women, and children from minority communities. Such hateful and inflammatory statements and communal violence are creating a communal divide, which is deeply worrying and condemnable. The organization said that with just 14 days left for the elections, the same communal violence that continued last year is still ongoing. This year, as of January 27, 2026, there have been 42 incidents of communal violence. Of these, 11 were murders and one was rape. Nine were attacks on temples and churches, and nine were lootings.

The organization stated that in this situation, neither the government, the administration, the Election Commission, nor the political parties are able to instill confidence in the minorities. The entire minority community is hoping to exercise their civil rights by voting in the next election, but their numbers and concerns about livelihood, wealth, and dignity are not diminishing in any way, which could motivate them to vote. They cannot be held responsible for this. The government, the administration, the Election Commission, and the political parties must take responsibility for this.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council stated that such a situation has never existed before. Minorities, especially Hindus, have consistently supported the Awami League. They stated that minorities are not beholden to any party, but rather, they base their voting opinions on the spirit and achievements of the Liberation War. Therefore, while some parties may have received greater support from minorities, minorities have never made an organizational decision to support any party in elections.

Minorities object to the referendum.
The organization stated that this time, in the name of a referendum, the National Assembly elections have combined “yes” and “no” votes. Instead of secularism, they have declared the fundamental principles of state governance, which the government and the Election Commission are directly promoting, which we find sad, unfortunate, and highly biased.

The organization states that Bangladesh’s non-communal, secular, and non-discriminatory Constitution, which is based on the hopes and aspirations of 75 million people and the dreams of 3 million martyrs during the Liberation War, is facing challenges today. We believe this will hinder minority communities from achieving equal rights as citizens of Bangladesh. In this situation, it is a major challenge for minority communities to safely reach polling stations and cast their votes as they choose.

Minorities present eight-point demand
The organization has submitted an eight-point demand letter on behalf of Bangladesh’s minorities and urged political parties to include it in their election manifestos. These include immediate and appropriate steps to ensure the full protection of religious, ethnic minorities, and indigenous communities, recognizing them as a more vulnerable group, and declaring a zero-tolerance policy against perpetrators of communal violence.

Political parties and candidates contesting elections should publicly promise, based on consensus, that minority voters will not be harassed, suppressed, or persecuted by labeling them differently, both before and after the elections. They also demanded the enactment of a Minority Protection Act, the establishment of a National Minorities Commission, and the establishment of a Ministry of Minorities.