Hindu Businessman Dies Three Days After Brutal Attack in Bangladesh

A Hindu businessman who was brutally assaulted, hacked and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Shariatpur district died on Saturday, three days after the attack, according to media reports and a minority community leader.

The victim, Khokon Chandra Das (50), was attacked near Keurbhanga Bazar in Damudya on Wednesday night while returning home after closing his shop. This incident marks the fifth death of a Hindu community member since December, raising concerns over the safety of religious minorities in the country.

Kajol Debnath, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, confirmed Das’s death and alleged that radical groups were attempting to intimidate minority communities.

“Das died this morning after battling for life for three days,” Debnath said.

According to police and media reports, Das, who ran a medicine shop and a mobile banking business, was travelling in an autorickshaw when assailants intercepted the vehicle. He was allegedly beaten, hacked with sharp weapons, doused with petrol and set on fire.

In an attempt to save himself, Das reportedly jumped into a roadside pond as locals raised an alarm. The attackers fled the scene. He was rescued by residents and initially taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital, before being referred to Dhaka due to the severity of his injuries.

Doctors said Das suffered multiple injuries, including a serious abdominal wound, along with burn injuries to his face, head and hands.

“This is the fifth death of a Hindu man in one month. We recorded seven attacks on the community in December alone,” Debnath said. He expressed concern over the increasing use of petrol and incendiary materials in attacks.

“These are not isolated criminal acts. The pattern suggests the emergence of a radical culture,” he added.

The killing follows a series of violent incidents targeting minorities in recent weeks. On December 18, a 25-year-old Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh. On December 23, unidentified attackers torched the home of two Hindu expatriate workers’ families near Chattogram, though no casualties were reported. Another Hindu man, Amrit Mondal, was lynched on December 24 in Rajbari district over alleged extortion.

According to the 2022 census, Bangladesh has around 13.13 million Hindus, constituting approximately 7.95 per cent of the population.

Political observers note a recent spike in violence against minorities, with mob attacks and targeted assaults emerging as a major concern amid Bangladesh’s evolving political environment. In the past year, several Sufi shrines have also been vandalised, with at least one incident involving the desecration and burning of a revered saint’s remains.

Read Also : Mysterious Blast Near Nalagarh Police Station Triggers Panic, No Injuries Reported