Dhaka, Jan 7: In recent weeks, Bangladesh has seen a wave of violence targeting members of its minority Hindu community, resulting in multiple deaths. The unrest followed the killing of radical youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi in early December and coincides with ongoing tensions affecting minorities after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh HasinaAmong the victims, Moni Chakraborty, a 40-year-old grocery shop owner, was murdered with a sharp weapon on January 5 in Palash Upazila. Rana Pratap Bairagi, a 38-year-old ice factory owner and acting newspaper editor, was fatally shot in Jessore on the same day; authorities said he may have been caught up in an internal feud of the banned Purbo Banglar Communist Party. Khokon Chandra Das, a 50-year-old businessman, was attacked, hacked, and set on fire on December 31, dying three days later. Amrit Mondal was lynched on December 24 in Rajbari over alleged extortion, while 25-year-old garment worker Dipu Chandra Das was killed and burned by a mob in Mymensingh on December 18 over alleged blasphemy.
According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, seven Hindus have died since December, highlighting the vulnerability of the community. Hindus make up roughly 13.13 million people in Bangladesh, about 8% of the population, and have increasingly faced violence amid political instability and communal tensions.
Traders demand justice for slain Hindu businessman
In Narsingdi, Bangladesh, over 100 traders formed a human chain demanding justice for Hindu grocery owner Moni Chakraborty, who was fatally attacked near his home on January 5. Protesters called for a swift investigation and warned of further agitation if perpetrators were not arrested within 24 hours.
Chakraborty’s killing follows a series of recent attacks on Hindus, including Rana Pratap Bairagi, Khokon Chandra Das, Amrit Mondal, and Dipu Chandra Das. Political observers say these incidents reflect rising mob and targeted violence against the Hindu minority, which makes up roughly 8% of Bangladesh’s 13.13 million-strong population.