Hindu youth burnt alive in Bangladesh, CCTV raises foul play fears as minority attacks surge

Fresh outrage erupts after a Hindu man is killed in Bangladesh, highlighting rising atrocities against minorities under the interim government

PGurus Newsdesk

January 25, 2026

Rising intolerance: Bangladesh’s minority crisis

Suspicious CCTV footage deepens mystery over Narsingdi killing

A 25-year-old Hindu man was burnt to death under suspicious circumstances in Bangladesh’s Narsingdi district, intensifying alarm over the safety of religious minorities amid a sharp rise in communal violence under the country’s interim administration.

The victim, identified as Chanchal Bhowmik, was asleep inside a garage on Friday night when a fire broke out. While authorities initially described the blaze as possibly accidental, emerging CCTV footage from the area has raised serious questions about potential foul play.

Narsingdi Superintendent of Police Abdullah Al Faruque confirmed that investigators are closely examining surveillance footage showing suspicious movement near the garage shortly before the fire erupted.

“We have collected CCTV footage and observed scenes showing a person moving around the area. We are investigating whether the fire was caused by an external factor or an electrical fault,” the police official told news agency ANI.

According to police, the fire originated inside the shop where Bhowmik was sleeping. Fire service personnel had to forcibly break open the shutter to reach him, but by the time rescue teams entered, his body was completely charred.

Authorities said the investigation remains open, with no arrests made so far. The probe is focused on determining whether the fire resulted from an electrical malfunction or deliberate human intervention.

Minority safety under scrutiny ahead of Bangladesh elections

The killing comes at a time of growing concern over minority security in Bangladesh, as the country heads toward national elections scheduled for February 12, 2026. With the Awami League banned and its registration suspended, civil rights groups warn that communal violence has intensified amid political instability.

Human rights organisations and community bodies have reported a sharp rise in attacks on Hindus and other minorities since the interim government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus assumed office in August 2024.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in exile in India, has accused the interim leadership of pushing Bangladesh into chaos and enabling extremist forces. In her first public address since fleeing the country, Hasina said Bangladesh had “plunged into an age of terror” and warned of a deliberate attempt to dismantle democracy and communal harmony.

In a pre-recorded audio message played at an event in New Delhi, Hasina described the country as a “wounded, blood-soaked land,” alleging that minorities were being systematically targeted while law and order collapsed.

Global outrage over persecution of Hindus

Concerns over the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh have echoed internationally. In January, more than 500 protesters gathered at Parliament Square in London, demanding global action against what organisers described as continued killings, torture and intimidation of religious minorities.

The protest, organised by the Bangladesh Hindu Association with support from UK-based groups, highlighted what demonstrators said was a pattern of state failure in protecting minorities.

According to data from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, at least 51 incidents of communal violence were recorded in December alone. These included 10 murders, widespread looting and arson, land and temple encroachments, cases of arrest and torture on allegations of religious defamation, and incidents of sexual violence.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has expressed serious concern over the killing of Chanchal Bhowmik, linking it to a broader breakdown of law and order in Bangladesh. The MEA cited independent assessments documenting over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities during the tenure of the Yunus-led interim government, including killings, arson attacks and land grabbing.

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.