Radical groups in Bangladesh have intensified their anti-India rhetoric and attacks targeting minorities, particularly Hindus and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). These actions have escalated in the lead-up to the country's parliamentary elections, scheduled for February 2026, raising concerns about communal harmony and the safety of minority communities.

Several student organizations with links to Jamaat-e-Islami, Hizbut Tahrir, and Hefazat-e-Islam staged anti-India rallies across Bangladesh on Friday, calling for a ban on ISKCON and branding it as an "Indian agent". In Chattogram, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh organized a protest rally following Friday prayers, denouncing ISKCON as an "extremist Hindutva organization". Maulana Ali Usman, Hefazat's central Nayeb-e-Ameer, presided over the rally, accusing ISKCON of instigating unrest and demanding legal action against the organization. Hefazat leaders declared that banning ISKCON is the only way to preserve peace and communal harmony in the country.

These groups are demanding a complete ban on ISKCON, with some videos even threatening to kill its devotees. Various Bangladeshi Muslim organizations have also put pressure on the interim government to ban ISKCON. Incidents of violence against Hindus and their places of worship have been on the rise. Reports indicate dozens of Hindu temples have been burned down in recent months, including ISKCON temples.

India has reacted to these developments by condemning the attacks on Hindu temples and urging Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed concerns over the "deplorable" acts of violence and called for swift action to protect minority communities.

Tensions between India and Bangladesh have also increased following the arrest of a Chittagong-based Hindu priest, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. Insiders within the interim government have allegedly used the situation to further fuel anti-India sentiment and demand a ban on ISKCON. Some officials have even labeled India's concern over the arrest as unwarranted interference.

The current environment in Bangladesh is steadily deteriorating, with a pattern of intolerance eroding secularism, according to Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former Indian foreign secretary. He noted that attacks on minorities have continued since the fall of the previous government, capturing a pattern of intolerance that is eroding secularism in Bangladesh.