A Hindu shopkeeper was fatally attacked with sharp weapons in Bangladesh’s Narsingdi district on Monday night. The victim has been identified as Sharath Chakraborty Mani, 40 years old. This incident marks the sixth killing of a Hindu person within the past 18 days.
Mani operated a grocery store in Charsindur Bazar, located in Palash Upazila. Unidentified assailants reportedly attacked him with sharp weapons before fleeing the scene. Mani, gravely injured, succumbed to his wounds while being transported to a hospital. Police authorities are currently investigating the case.
On December 19, Mani had posted on a social media platform, expressing his apprehension regarding the escalating violence in the country and describing his local area as a “valley of death.”
Recent Incidents Targeting Hindus
This incident follows other violent events. On January 5, Rana Pratap Bairagi, a Hindu individual who owned an ice factory and served as an executive editor for the ‘Dainik BD Khabar’ newspaper, was shot dead in Jessore district’s Monirampur area. Reports indicate that three attackers on a motorcycle called him out from his factory, led him to an alley, and shot him at close range in the head. He died immediately at the site. Police later recovered seven empty cartridges from the scene, and the reasons behind his killing have not yet been disclosed.
Separately, a 50-year-old businessman, Khokan Chandra Das, was assaulted with sharp weapons and subsequently had petrol poured on his head and set on fire in Shariatpur district’s Damudya area, near Keurbhanga Bazar. This marks the second instance of a Hindu individual being set on fire within 15 days. He was attacked by assailants who stopped his auto while he was returning home after closing his shop, according to local media reports citing police.
Other Reports of Violence
In another distressing event on January 3, a 44-year-old Hindu widow was subjected to gang-rape and physical assault, including being tied to a tree, in the Kaliganj area of Jhenaidah district, Bangladesh. Police have arrested one suspect, Hasan (45), while the search for other involved individuals continues. The victim lodged a complaint against four individuals. Allegations include her hair being cut, her being beaten, and the entire incident being recorded on a mobile phone.
According to police and local residents, the woman had acquired a house and land in the village approximately two years prior from the brother of an accused named Shahin. Following the purchase, Shahin reportedly harassed her persistently, demanding money. On the evening of the incident, Shahin and Hasan allegedly forced their way into her home when two male relatives were visiting. They reportedly confined the relatives in one room and sexually assaulted the woman in another. Subsequently, the accused allegedly dragged the woman and her relatives outside, tied them to a tree, and made false accusations of “obscene activities.” Local residents found the woman in a critical condition on Saturday night and ensured her admission to a hospital.
Investigations into these various incidents are ongoing by law enforcement.
