DHAKA, Jan 06 : Two Hindu men were killed in separate incidents across Bangladesh within 24 hours, reigniting concerns over the safety of religious minorities in the country. Both attacks occurred in public spaces and are currently under police investigation, though motives remain unclear.
Grocery shop owner hacked to death in Narsingdi
The first incident took place Monday night in Narsingdi district, where 40-year-old Sarat Chakraborty Mani, a grocery shop owner at Charsindur Bazaar in Palash Upazila, was attacked by unidentified assailants wielding sharp weapons. Mani sustained critical injuries and died while being transported to the hospital.
Local reports, cited by Bangladeshi weekly Blitz, suggested possible involvement of an extremist group, though authorities have not confirmed this. Mani had previously expressed fears over escalating violence in his hometown, describing it as a “valley of death” in a Facebook post last month. This marks the sixth reported killing of a Hindu individual in Bangladesh in the past 18 days.
Hindu businessman shot dead in Jashore
Hours later, 38 year old Rana Pratap Bairagi, owner of an ice factory in Kapalia Bazar and acting editor of the newspaper Dainik BD Khobor, was shot dead in Monirampur Upazila, Jashore district. According to local media reports, three assailants on a motorcycle lured Bairagi out of his factory and shot him in the head at close range.
Police confirmed that the body was recovered and sent for post-mortem. The attackers remain unidentified, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
Rising pattern of violence against Hindus
These killings follow a string of violent attacks targeting the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Recent victims include Khokon Chandra Das in Shariatpur, Bajendra Biswas in Mymensingh, Amrit Mondal in Kalimohar Union, and Dipu Chandra Das in Bhaluka. Many incidents involved mob violence or were linked to false accusations.
Human rights groups have expressed concern over a growing pattern of attacks against minorities under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, warning that these incidents could have serious domestic and international repercussions.