According to local police and his family, Bhabesh Chandra, a well-known Hindu leader in Dinajpur’s Biral upazila, was kidnapped and brutally attacked in yet another shocking incident of violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
Four people on two motorcycles abducted Chandra, the vice-president of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad’s Biral unit, from his house on Thursday. Witnesses witnessed the attackers carry Chandra to Narabari village, where he was severely assaulted, according to his wife, Shantana Roy, who spoke to The Daily Star.
The attackers used a van later that day to transport Chandra unconscious back to his house. After being brought to the Biral Upazila Health Complex, he was referred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where medical professionals pronounced him dead.
Biral Police Station officials acknowledged that an investigation is in progress and that plans are being made to file a complaint against the unidentified offenders. Attempts are being made to find and apprehend the culprits.
The Hindu minority in Bangladesh has been the subject of an increasing number of violent attacks, like this one. According to a recent study by the human rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (AsK), which is based in Dhaka, there have been 147 documented instances of vandalism of Hindu homes, temples, and businesses nationwide. Of these, 113 commercial buildings and 408 residences were vandalized. In addition, the survey recorded 92 incidents of idol desecration in temples, 36 incidences of arson, and 32 attacks against Ahmadiyya religious institutions.
Since the Awami League government fell, there has been a noticeable increase in this type of violence. Muhammad Yunus’s temporary government, which came to power in August 2024, has reportedly increased attacks on minority groups, especially Hindus. Reports have highlighted a disturbing rise in cases of murder, gang rape, and desecration of Hindu temples.
Concern over these developments has been voiced by India on a regular basis. Prime Minister Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed minority protection earlier this month at the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Later, Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, underlined that India has asked Bangladesh to take decisive steps to end violence against its minority on numerous occasions.