Bangladesh has seen a sharp rise in violence against its minority Hindu community. Six Hindus have been killed in the last 18 days. The incidents have raised serious concerns about law and order and the safety of minorities.The latest incident occurred on Monday evening when Sarat Chakraborty Mani, 40, a Hindu grocery store owner, was brutally murdered in Narsingdi, on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka. Mani was attacked with sharp weapons at Charsindur Bazaar in Palash Upazila while he was conducting his business as usual. According to eyewitnesses, unknown assailants suddenly attacked him and critically injured him. While locals took him to the hospital, he died on the way, Bangladesh news channel Blitz reported. Sarat Chakraborty Mani was the son of Madan Thakur, a resident of Sadharchar Union in Shibpur Upazila. His wife, Antara Mukherjee, is a housewife and he has a 12-year-old son, Abhik Chakraborty.Mani had previously worked in South Korea and returned to Bangladesh a few years ago. Later he built a house in Brahmandi, Narsingdi town where he lived with his family.A family member, who wished to remain anonymous, said Mani led a simple and peaceful life and had no quarrels with anyone. However, he was deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the country.On December 19, he wrote in a Facebook post: “So much fire everywhere, so much violence. My birthplace has turned into a valley of death,” said Blitz.Mani’s neighbor described him as calm, humane and socially responsible and stated that he had no enemies. According to the neighbor, the only possible reason for his murder was that he was a Hindu.Social activist and organizer Bappaditya Basu strongly condemned the murder. Speaking to Blitz, he said, “Before the blood of a Hindu in Bangladesh even dries, another Hindu is killed. Before the news of Rana Pratap from Jessore could fade, Sarat Chakraborty Mani from Narsingdi was murdered.”He warned that if this violence continued, “in a few years there will be no more Hindus in Bangladesh.”Basu also accused the government of supporting the violence, saying that in a country where “genocide or ethnic cleansing of Hindus” is carried out according to a clear state plan, “being Hindu itself is a key reason for the killing.”He also claimed to have known Mani personally and revealed shocking details about the threats the victim faced. According to Basu, two days before the murder, extremist Islamists demanded a large sum of money from Mani and told him that he would have to pay jizya if he wanted to live in Bangladesh. Basu claimed that the same extremists later murdered Mani.Mani’s murder came on the same day as the murder of Hindu journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi (also known as Rana Pratap) in Manirampur, Jashore. The 45-year-old factory owner and acting editor of BD Khobor was shot multiple times in the head and his throat was slit in Kopalia Bazar area.Officer-in-charge of Monirampur police station MD Raziullah Khan said the attack took place around 6 pm. He said, “Rana was shot three times in the head and his throat was slit. When we received the news, we went to the crime scene. The body was recovered and sent for autopsy. We are investigating the culprits.”Police recovered seven cartridge cases at the scene.Witness Ripon Hossain said the attackers arrived on a motorcycle, called Rana from his ice cream factory, shot him several times and immediately fled. Rana was the son of a teacher from Arua village in Keshabpur upazila and had been running his ice cream factory for two years.Rana’s killing followed a series of brutal attacks on Hindus across Bangladesh.In Mymensingh district, Dipu Chandra Das, a worker at a local garment factory, was lynched by a mob, after which his body was hung from a tree and set on fire last month.Another murder was reported last week when Khokon Das (50), a Hindu pharmacy owner and bKash mobile banking agent, was attacked while returning home after closing his shop at Keherbhanga Bazaar. He was attacked by three to four assailants near Tilai area and later died of his injuries.Last week, Bajendra Biswas, a Hindu garment factory worker, was shot dead while on duty at a factory in Mymensingh.
Sexual violence against Hindu women increases the fears of minorities
In addition to these killings, sexual violence against Hindu women has also sparked outrage. In Jhenaidah district, a 40-year-old Hindu widow was allegedly tortured, raped, tied to a tree and cut her hair by two local men. The survivor was rescued unconscious and admitted to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.Hospital manager Dr. Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman said: “Later, through a medical examination, we came to know that she had been tortured.”Jhenaidah Additional Commissioner of Police Bilal Hossain said, “We have called the victim to the police station and registered her complaint. After completing the investigation, the police will take strict legal action against those responsible.”The two defendants have now been arrested.The series of murders and attacks has drawn international attention. India has expressed concern that minorities in Bangladesh are facing “unceasing hostility” under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation.
