Two Hindu men killed in Bangladesh within 24 hours highlight escalating violence against minorities. Brutal attacks in Narsingdi and Jashore deepen human rights concerns under the interim government, sparking national and international outrage.
Two Hindu men were brutally killed in separate incidents within a span of 24 hours in Bangladesh, intensifying concerns over the rapidly worsening security situation for religious minorities, particularly the Hindu community. The killings, reported from different districts, have once again drawn attention to what rights groups describe as a disturbing and sustained pattern of targeted violence.
The first victim, identified as Sarat Chakraborty Mani, aged 40, was attacked on Monday night in Narsingdi district, near the capital Dhaka. According to local media reports, Mani was running his grocery shop at Charsindur Bazaar in Palash Upazila when unidentified assailants armed with sharp weapons launched a sudden and deadly attack.
Eyewitnesses told local reporters that the attackers struck without warning, inflicting severe injuries before fleeing the scene. Mani was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries while being transported for emergency medical care. Local residents alleged that the attackers were linked to an extremist religious group, though police officials have not officially confirmed this claim.
The second killing occurred just hours later in Monirampur Upazila of Jashore district, where a Hindu businessman and newspaper editor was shot dead in public. The victim, Rana Pratap Bairagi, aged 38, owned an ice manufacturing factory in Kapalia Bazar and also served as the acting editor of the Bangladeshi daily Dainik BD Khobor, published from Narail.
According to police and eyewitness accounts cited by local media, three assailants arrived on a motorcycle around 5:45 pm on Monday. They allegedly called Bairagi out of his factory, took him to a nearby narrow lane, and shot him in the head at close range before escaping.
Confirming the incident, Md Raziullah Khan, Officer-in-Charge of Monirampur Police Station, said that Bairagi’s body was recovered from the scene and sent to Jashore Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination. He added that the motive behind the killing remains unclear and that an investigation is underway to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
“These are clearly targeted killings that have created fear among minority communities,” said a local human rights activist, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The lack of swift justice is only emboldening attackers.”
A Pattern of Repeated Violence
The latest murders are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of escalating violence against Hindus across Bangladesh in recent months. On Saturday, Khokon Chandra Das, another Hindu man, died after being brutally assaulted by a mob in Damudya Upazila of Shariatpur district.
Last week, Bajendra Biswas, aged 40, was shot dead by a colleague in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh district, further deepening fears among minority families.
In December last year, at least two particularly gruesome cases shocked the nation. On December 24, a 29-year-old Hindu youth, Amrit Mondal, was allegedly lynched by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union. Just days earlier, on December 18, Dipu Chandra Das, aged 25, was killed in a mob lynching incident following false blasphemy allegations at his workplace in Bhaluka.
In one of the most horrifying acts of violence, the mob reportedly beat Das to death, hung his body from a tree, and set it on fire, sparking nationwide outrage.
Growing National and International Concern
Human rights organizations and minority advocacy groups have expressed grave concern over what they describe as the systematic targeting of Hindus under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. Critics argue that the administration has failed to ensure adequate protection for vulnerable communities or to hold perpetrators accountable.
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Several international human rights bodies have called for immediate action, urging the Bangladeshi authorities to strengthen law enforcement, conduct impartial investigations, and restore public confidence in the justice system.
“The continued killings send a dangerous signal that minorities are unsafe,” said a regional analyst. “If unchecked, this violence risks destabilizing social harmony and damaging Bangladesh’s global human rights image.”
As fear spreads across Hindu neighborhoods, community leaders are demanding stronger security measures, transparent investigations, and decisive political action to stop the bloodshed.
