Ethnic minorities in Bangladesh in the context of "Vanvasi"

Following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, on 5 August 2024, which had come after the Hasina's government's mass killings of protesters, known as the July massacre, a wave of violent conflict took place, between protesters and opposition activists on one side, and Awami League supporters, government and security officials on the other. On the day of Hasina's resignation, 25 police officers were killed. According to the Daily Sun, at least 119, including both the students and Awami League activists, were killed that day. According to Prothom Alo, 1,494 sculptures and monuments were vandalized across Bangladesh after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina.

The violence also affected the religious minority communities. According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, there have been over 2,010 attacks on Hindus or their properties spread over 45 districts and 5 Hindus have been killed in these attacks, 2 have been confirmed as Awami League members. Ahmadiyyas in Bangladesh were also attacked by groups damaging mosques and homes. The minority ethnic groups were also attacked. Mobs attacked and vandalized five to nine private television channels.

The Adivasi (also spelled Adibasi) are the heterogeneous tribal groups across the Indian subcontinent. The term Adivasi, a 20th-century construct meaning "ancient inhabitants", is now widely used as a self-designation by many of the communities who are officially recognized as "Scheduled Tribes" in India and as "Ethnic minorities" in Bangladesh. They constitute approximately 8.6% of India's population (around 104.2 million, according to the 2011 Census) and about 1.1% of Bangladesh's population (roughly 2 million, 2010 estimate).

Claiming to be among the original inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent, many present-day Adivasi communities formed during the flourishing period of the Indus Valley Civilization or after the decline of the IVC, harboring various degrees of ancestry from ancient Dravidians, Indo-Aryan, Austroasiatic and Tibeto-Burman language speakers.