Communal violence in Bangladesh: A study of the underlying factors behind the persistent attacks on the non-Muslim communities.

The article investigates the underlying factors contributing to the recurring communal violence in Bangladesh against non-Muslim communities, focusing on three case studies from 2011 to 2021. It finds that such violence is deliberate and orchestrated, often linked to local political power struggles, economic motives like land grabbing, and ideological factors including rising religious intolerance and extremist influence. The study highlights the involvement or complicity of local political leaders and law enforcement agencies, alongside a culture of impunity and state inaction, which perpetuate these attacks. Social media is identified as a common tool for instigating violence through fabricated blasphemy allegations. The research underscores the absence of effective resistance mechanisms or coordinated social campaigns to counter communal hatred and calls for deeper investigation into the complex coexistence of conflict and social cohesion in Bangladesh.