Bangladeshi Hindus Face Intensifying Attacks-Killings. Who will Save Them?

Hindu Businessman Shot Dead in Jessore, Widow Brutally Raped in Jhenaidah as Attacks on Minorities Surge in Bangladesh.

Upananda Brahmachari | HENB | New Delhi | Jan 6, 2026::  Bangladesh witnessed yet another grim chapter of violence against its minority Hindu community with the fatal shooting of a Hindu businessman and journalist in Jessore district and the brutal rape and torture of a Hindu widow in Jhenaidah. The incidents have intensified concerns over a growing pattern of targeted attacks, mob violence, and impunity amid the country’s changing political landscape.

Hindu Businessman and Acting Editor Shot Dead

A Hindu businessman, who was also the acting editor of a local newspaper, was shot dead at close range on Monday evening in Jessore district of southern Bangladesh. The deceased has been identified as Rana Pratap Bairagi (38), a resident of Arua village in Keshabpur upazila under Khulna Division.

Confirming the incident, Bangladesh Puja Celebration Committee President Bashudeb Dhar said, “We have received information that Rana Pratap Bairagi was shot dead at the Keshabpur area of Jessore.”

According to Bangla-language daily Prothom Alo and news portal bdnews24, the incident occurred around 5:45 pm at Kopaliya Bazaar in Monirampur. Bairagi owned an ice-making factory in Kopaliya Bazar and also served as the acting editor of Dainik BD Khabar, a newspaper published from Narail.

Citing police and local residents, reports said that three assailants arrived on a motorcycle, called Bairagi out from his factory, and took him to a narrow alley in front of the Kapalia Clinic and Diagnostic Centre. The attackers then shot him in the head from close range and fled.

Monirampur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Rajiullah Khan stated that Bairagi was shot three times in the head and had his throat slit, causing instant death. Police said the motive behind the killing remains unclear and an investigation has been launched.

However, police officials later claimed that Bairagi “appeared to be a victim of an internal feud” linked to the banned Purbo Banglar Communist Party, describing him as an “active member” of the group. Authorities also said there were four cases registered against him in two police stations, though no details were disclosed.

Despite the police narrative, the killing has sparked outrage among minority groups, who view it as part of a broader and alarming trend of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Series of Violent Attacks on Hindus

The killing of Rana Pratap Bairagi comes amid a disturbing and continuing series of violent attacks on Hindu individuals across Bangladesh over the past several weeks, underscoring what minority groups describe as an atmosphere of fear, targeted violence, and near-impunity.

• December 2: Prantos Karmakar (42), a Hindu jeweller and owner of a jewellery shop, was shot dead in the Narsingdi district. He was reportedly gunned down by unidentified assailants, sending shockwaves through the local Hindu business community.

• December 5: Utpal Sarkar (35), a Hindu fish trader, was attacked and killed in the early hours of the morning in Saltha upazila of Faridpur district. The killing added to growing concerns about the safety of Hindu traders and small businessmen.

• December 7: Jogesh Chandra Roy (75), an elderly Hindu man and a 1971 Liberation War veteran, was hacked to death at his residence in Rangpur district. His wife, Suborno Roy (60), was also brutally murdered. Neighbours discovered their bodies the next morning, both with slit throats, triggering widespread outrage and grief.

• On 12th December, the police recovered the throat slit body of a Hindu man named Shanto Das (30) from a cornfield in Homna upazila in Comilla district of Bangladesh. According to the reports, the victim was an auto rickshaw driver by occupation and a member of the village police force.

• December 18: Dipu Chandra Das (25) was lynched by a mob in Mymensingh city over alleged blasphemy, and his body was set on fire publicly, in one of the most horrific incidents reported in recent years.

• December 23: The charred house of Hindu expatriate workers Shukh Shil and Anil Shil was set on fire by unidentified attackers in the Raojan area near Chattogram. The residents narrowly escaped unharmed.

• December 23: The dead body of Pintu Akanda (35), a Hindu businessman and owner of a Lotto showroom, was recovered from a microbus in Adamdighi upazila of Bogura district. He had been abducted at gunpoint a day earlier by four unidentified men.

• December 24: Amrit Mondal, a Hindu man, was lynched in Pangsha upazila of Rajbari district over alleged extortion.

• December 29: Bajendra Biswas, a Hindu factory security guard, was shot dead in Mymensingh, adding to the growing list of fatal attacks on Hindu workers and civilians.

• December 31 / January 3: Khokon Chandra Das (50), a Hindu pharmacy owner, was ambushed, stabbed, hacked, doused with petrol, and set on fire while returning home in Kaneshwar Union. He succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital’s Burn Injury Department on January 3.

Political observers and minority rights groups warn that mob violence, targeted killings, and clandestine attacks have increasingly become a defining feature of Bangladesh’s current political environment, particularly affecting the Hindu minority.

Grave Concern Over Minority Persecution

Human rights activists and Hindu organizations have expressed grave concern over what they describe as systematic persecution of Hindu minorities, alleging that radical Islamist and jihadi elements are exploiting weakened law enforcement under the Interim Yunus government to target vulnerable communities.

Critics argue that the repeated characterization of attacks as “blasphemy”, “personal disputes” or “internal feuds” has failed to address the larger pattern of ideological violence, emboldening perpetrators and deepening insecurity among minorities.

With Hindus constituting nearly 8% of Bangladesh’s population, calls are growing—both domestically and internationally—for urgent intervention, transparent investigations, and firm action to protect minority lives, property, and dignity before the crisis escalates further.

Hindu Widow Raped and Tortured in Jhenaidah

In another shocking incident, a 40-year-old Hindu widow was allegedly raped, tortured, tied to a tree, and had her hair forcibly cut in Jhenaidah district on Saturday night.

According to local outlet Bangladesh Partidin, the woman was subjected to prolonged harassment and violence by two local men. The main accused, Shahin, allegedly had “an evil eye on the woman” and had been making repeated indecent advances for over two and a half years.

As per the victim’s statement, the widow had purchased a two-storey house and 300 decimals of land for 20 lakh taka from Shahin and his brother in the Kaliganj municipal area. After the sale, Shahin reportedly began harassing her persistently. When she resisted, the harassment allegedly escalated into threats and violence.

On Saturday night, the accused allegedly raped and brutally tortured her, tied her to a tree, and cut her hair. She reportedly lost consciousness due to the assault and was later rescued by local residents, who admitted her to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.

Hospital Superintendent Dr Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman said the woman initially did not disclose the crime. “Later, through medical examination, we came to know that she had been subjected to torture,” he said.

Jhenaidah Additional Superintendent of Police Bilal Hossain confirmed that the victim’s complaint has been registered. “After completing the investigation, the police will take strict legal action against those responsible,” he said.

Police have arrested two local Muslim men, reportedly connected with a local Jamaat-supported party, from Kaliganj following the complaint.

Rising Alarm and International Concern

The twin incidents have reignited outrage among Hindu organizations and human rights groups. In India, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged protests condemning what it described as extreme persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and the rising number of brutal killings.

Critics allege that despite repeated expressions of concern, the Government of India has failed to take decisive diplomatic or political action to ensure the protection of vulnerable Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

As attacks continue to mount, minority groups and observers warn that without firm action, accountability, and systemic safeguards, fear and insecurity will further deepen among Bangladesh’s Hindu population, threatening social harmony and regional stability.

Bangladeshi Hindus Face Intensifying Attacks-Killings: Who Will Save Them?

The relentless killings, lynchings, arson attacks, and sexual violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh point to a deepening crisis of security, justice, and human rights. What is most alarming is not merely the frequency of these attacks, but the pattern of impunity, where perpetrators often escape swift and exemplary punishment, and incidents are routinely downplayed as isolated crimes rather than symptoms of a wider, systemic problem.

Under the current Interim Yunus government, critics argue that law enforcement has failed to inspire confidence among minority communities, allowing radical Islamist and jihadi elements to operate with growing boldness. The recurring targeting of Hindu businessmen, traders, elderly citizens, women, and even Liberation War veterans suggests that identity-based violence has become normalized, pushing an already vulnerable population further into fear and marginalization.

As Bangladesh positions itself on the global stage as a moderate and democratic nation, the situation of its Hindu minorities raises uncomfortable questions for the international community, regional stakeholders, and human rights bodies. Who will ensure accountability? Who will guarantee protection? And who will speak decisively for those who increasingly feel abandoned in their own homeland?

Unless urgent corrective steps are taken—through transparent investigations, firm prosecutions, and unequivocal political will—the warning signs suggest that the crisis will only worsen. For Bangladesh’s Hindus, the question is no longer about equal rights alone, but about basic survival. These three points below are staggering enough:

• Silence of International Human Rights Bodies
One of the most troubling aspects of the ongoing violence is the near-total silence of international human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other global watchdogs. Despite a clear pattern of targeted killings, mob lynchings, arson, and sexual violence against Hindu minorities, there has been no sustained condemnation, fact-finding mission, or urgent intervention, raising serious questions about selective activism and moral inconsistency.

• Absence of Global Accountability and Diplomatic Pressure
Equally alarming is the lack of meaningful international pressure on the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure accountability and protection for minorities. Powerful global institutions, regional blocs, and influential democracies have largely confined themselves to routine statements, allowing the crisis to deepen. This vacuum of accountability has arguably emboldened perpetrators and reinforced a perception among persecuted Hindus that their suffering has been normalised and ignored on the world stage.

• Failure of the Indian Government to Address the Crisis Effectively
Equally concerning is the inadequate and inconsistent response of the Government of India, which has historically projected itself as a natural guardian of persecuted Hindus in the subcontinent. Beyond periodic expressions of concern, New Delhi has failed to exert sustained diplomatic pressure, leverage international forums, or pursue concrete protective mechanisms for Bangladeshi Hindus. Critics argue that this policy paralysis has emboldened perpetrators across the border and deepened the sense of despair among victims, who see no decisive regional power stepping forward to defend their lives, dignity, and rights.

…

_Agency Inputs.