Bangladesh's interim government said on Monday that most incidents involving minority communities in 2025 were criminal, not communal. Out of 645 cases reviewed, only 71 showed communal motives. The data covers January to December 2025 and is based on police records like FIRs and charge sheets. "While every incident is a matter of concern, the data presents a clear and evidence-based picture: the overwhelming majority of cases were criminal in nature rather than communal," said the government statement. Among the 71 communal cases were 38 temple vandalism incidents, 8 arsons, 1 theft, 1 murder, and 23 other acts like threats and social media provocations. Police registered cases and made arrests in many of these. The other 574 cases involved crimes such as theft, rape, unnatural deaths, neighborhood disputes, and land conflicts unrelated to religion. Police made 498 arrests in this category. The statement noted that correct classification helps fight misinformation and improves law enforcement. It said, "The data demonstrates that most incidents involving minority victims were not driven by communal hostility, but by broader criminal and social factors." However, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council disagreed. Leader Kajal Debnath warned that dismissing communal violence might encourage criminals and cause lawlessness. India has repeatedly expressed concern about attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh. On January 9, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities... such incidents must be dealt with swiftly and firmly." Tensions remain high between India and Bangladesh since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took charge after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024. New Delhi continues to push for better minority protection in Bangladesh.