A horrific incident of mob violence in Bangladesh has left a family shattered and a community in fear. Dipu Chandra Das, a 28-year-old garment worker and sole breadwinner for his family of eight, was brutally lynched on the night of December 18 over a false rumour of posting blasphemous content online.
A Night of Unimaginable Horror
The tragedy unfolded in the Bhaluka area of Mymensingh district. Around 9 pm on December 18, a mob of approximately 140 people descended upon the Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Ltd factory where Dipu worked. They dragged him out, subjected him to a savage beating with bamboo sticks, fists, and kicks until he died. The violence did not end there. The mob then took his body to Jamirdia square, hanged it from a tree, and set it ablaze in full public view. A video of the burning body subsequently went viral on social media.
Dipu's younger brother, Apu Chandra Das, received a frantic call from a co-worker that evening. "I didn't immediately understand. 'Taken where?' I had asked," Apu recounted to TOI. By the time the full, gruesome story reached him, his brother was already dead. "What happened to my brother was beyond imagination," Apu said, his voice breaking. "Not even animals are treated the way that violent mob pounced on my brother."
No Evidence, Only Misinformation
The mob's fury was triggered by an allegation that Dipu had insulted Islam in a social media post. However, Apu staunchly defended his brother's character, stating he respected all religions and was incapable of such an act. This claim has now been substantiated by official investigation.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Bangladesh's elite counter-terrorism agency, has confirmed they found no evidence to support the blasphemy allegation. A senior RAB official stated that no proof of any such post by Dipu on social media was discovered. The agency is now probing whether misinformation was deliberately circulated to incite communal violence.
A Family Denied Dignity and Justice
Four days after the killing, for Dipu's family, which includes his wife and one-year-old child, there is no closure. The trauma was compounded when they were denied a final, peaceful farewell. "A group of people didn't allow family members to get the last glimpse of my brother before his cremation," Apu revealed. "We were forced to take the body immediately to the cremation ground. My elderly parents are completely heartbroken."
Police, who arrived after the crowd had surrounded the burning body, had to break through the mob to retrieve the remains. The body was taken to a hospital morgue and later returned to the family, who lodged a formal complaint at the Bhaluka Model police station on December 19.
While authorities have assured the family that justice will be served, and twelve arrests have been made so far, Apu remains deeply shaken. The suspects were produced in court on Monday, and police were granted a three-day remand for questioning. Officers indicated more arrests are likely as digital evidence is analysed.
"We've been told justice will be done," Apu said. "But after what we saw — after how easily a mob could do this — how can we believe that? We don't even know how to live anymore." The incident highlights the deadly consequences of rumours and mob mentality, leaving a family grieving and a community questioning its own safety.
