Series of killings fuels fears of systematic targeting of Hindu minority
A fresh act of mob violence against a Hindu man in Bangladesh has once again underlined the rapidly worsening security situation for minorities in the country, triggering outrage and renewed calls for international attention.
A 50-year-old Hindu man, identified as Khokon Das, was brutally assaulted and set on fire by a mob in Shariatpur district on December 31, according to media reports. Das was reportedly returning home when he was intercepted by a group of attackers who subjected him to savage violence.
The mob allegedly attacked Das with sharp weapons, beat him repeatedly and then set him ablaze, leaving him critically injured. Rights groups have described the assault as part of a disturbing and escalating pattern of targeted violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, particularly in recent weeks.
The incident is the fourth reported attack on a Hindu individual in just 15 days, highlighting a grim surge in communal violence. On December 24, 29-year-old Amrit Mondal was allegedly beaten to death by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union. In another case, a Hindu youth working at a textile factory in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, was shot dead by a co-worker. Days earlier, on December 18, Dipu Chandra Das was lynched by a mob in Mymensingh, after which his body was hung from a tree and set on fire in public view.
The string of attacks has sparked alarm among minority rights advocates, who warn that impunity and silence are emboldening extremist elements, leaving Hindu communities increasingly vulnerable.
As incidents mount with little visible accountability, concerns are growing that Bangladesh is witnessing a systemic breakdown of security for its Hindu minority, turning everyday life into a fight for survival.
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