The interim government has expressed concern over what it calls "misleading propaganda" portraying routine crimes—such as thefts, muggings, and personal disputes—as communal violence, said Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.
Responding to a claim by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council that 23 people were killed in communal violence over the past four and a half months, Alam rejected the allegations, stating that the government does not support any form of violence.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Monday, he urged all sides to be more responsible, warning that such misinformation could destabilise communal harmony in the country.
The Unity Council, in a press conference last Thursday, claimed that 23 people had been victims of communal violence since the mass uprising.
Taking the claim seriously, the Prof Muhammad Yunus-led government instructed the police to investigate each case and report on the causes and legal actions taken.
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Police investigations confirmed details of 22 out of the 23 reported incidents. However, they found no evidence linking them to communal violence. According to police findings:
Seven cases were related to theft and robbery.
Four stemmed from personal and family disputes.
Three involved rape, excessive drinking, or fights over sarcastic remarks.
Two were accidental deaths.
Two resulted from business enmity.
One stemmed from a conflict between locals.
One was a land dispute.
One case remains unspecified.
Besides, one case involved a man who succumbed to injuries from an incident in January last year and died in December. The cause of one suicide and another death is yet to be determined, but neither is linked to communal violence.
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So far, 47 people have been arrested in connection with these incidents, and investigations are ongoing. Of them, 17 have given confessional statements under Section 144, Alam said.