A disturbing surge in targeted violence has gripped the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh, with six individuals killed in a span of just 18 days. This escalating pattern of attacks has triggered profound alarm regarding law and order and the fundamental safety of minorities in the country.
A Series of Brutal Killings
The latest victim was Sarat Chakraborty Mani (40), a Hindu grocery shop owner, brutally murdered on Monday night in Narsingdi, near Dhaka. According to reports from Bangladesh news channel Blitz, unidentified assailants attacked him with sharp weapons at his shop in Charsindur Bazaar, Palash Upazila. He succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to the hospital.
Mani, who had previously worked in South Korea, was described by family and neighbours as a peaceful man with no known enemies. A family member suggested his Hindu identity was the likely motive. Disturbingly, social activist Bappaditya Basu claimed that just two days before the murder, extremists had demanded jizya (a protection tax) from Mani, threatening his life if he did not pay.
Mani's killing occurred on the same day as the murder of Hindu journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi (45) in Manirampur, Jashore. The acting editor of BD Khobor was shot multiple times in the head and had his throat slit near his ice factory. Police recovered seven bullet casings from the scene.
A Pattern of Targeted Assaults
These are not isolated incidents. The past weeks have seen a horrifying pattern of violence against Hindus across Bangladesh:
- In Mymensingh, garment worker Dipu Chandra Das was lynched by a mob last month; his body was then hung from a tree and set on fire.
- Last week, pharmacy owner Khokon Das (50) was attacked by three to four assailants while returning home and later died from his injuries.
- Also last week, Bajendra Biswas, another Hindu garment worker, was shot dead while on duty at a factory in Mymensingh.
Adding to the climate of fear, incidents of sexual violence against Hindu women have also been reported. In Jhenaidah district, a 40-year-old Hindu widow was allegedly tortured, raped, tied to a tree, and had her hair cut by two local men. The two accused have since been arrested.
Condemnation and International Concern
Social activist Bappaditya Basu has strongly condemned the violence, warning that if such attacks continue, "there will be no existence of Hindus left in Bangladesh within a few years." He accused the government of backing the violence under a "clear state plan."
The situation has drawn international attention. India has expressed concern over the "unremitting hostility" faced by minorities in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, stating it is closely monitoring developments.
The consecutive killings and assaults present a severe challenge to the authorities in Bangladesh, demanding urgent action to protect minority communities and restore a sense of security and justice.
