Business owners in Bangladesh's Narsingdi district staged a powerful protest on Tuesday, forming a human chain to demand justice for the brutal murder of a Hindu trader. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community and highlights a worrying pattern of violence.
Details of the Narsingdi Attack
The victim, identified as Moni Chakraborty (40), was a well-regarded grocery shop owner in Charsindhur Bazar, located in Palash Upazila. According to eyewitness accounts, unidentified assailants attacked him with a sharp weapon on Monday night as he was returning home from his shop. The attack occurred right in front of his house.
Chakraborty's mortal remains were consigned to flames on Tuesday. His friend, Rajendra Chohri, expressed profound grief, stating the victim had no known disputes. "He was such a good person that it's beyond imagination that he could have had any enemies," Chohri said, dismissing theories of a religious motive or extremist group involvement.
Community Outcry and Demands
In response to the killing, more than a hundred traders from Charsindur Bazar organized under the local market association's banner. They formed a human chain, calling for the immediate identification and arrest of the perpetrators.
The protesters have demanded a swift and transparent investigation. They issued a stern warning, threatening tougher agitation if the killers are not apprehended within the next 24 hours.
Prominent figures at the demonstration included:
- Charsindur Bazar Association acting president Angur Bhuiya
- General secretary Faruk Bhuiya
- Bangladesh Hindu Mahajot's central organising secretary Kishore Kumar
- Palash Upazila president Lipon Debnath
A Pattern of Targeted Violence
Chakraborty's murder is not an isolated event. It occurred just hours after another Hindu businessman, Rana Pratap Bairagi (38), was fatally shot in the head by unidentified men in Jessore district on Monday evening. Bairagi was also the acting editor of a newspaper called 'Dainik BD Khabar'.
This incident adds to a series of recent attacks on members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh:
- On January 3, Khokon Chandra Das (50) died after being brutally attacked, hacked, and set on fire.
- On December 24, Amrit Mondal was lynched over alleged extortion in Rajbari town's Pangsha upazila.
- On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das (25) was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh city.
Political observers note that mob violence and clandestine attacks have become a major crisis in the country's changed political landscape. According to the 2022 census, the Hindu population in Bangladesh is approximately 13.13 million, constituting about 7.95% of the total population.
