Attacks on Hindus Continue in Bangladesh, Another Man Set Ablaze Weeks After Dipu Chandra Das Killing

A 50-year-old Hindu man was brutally attacked, stabbed and set on fire by a mob in Bangladesh's Shariatpur district on December 31, marking yet another violent incident targeting minorities in the country.

The victim, Khokon Das, survived only after jumping into a nearby pond to douse the flames, officials said.

The incident has intensified concerns over a spate of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, with this being the fourth such case reported in the past two weeks.

Attack While Returning Home After Work

According to the victim's family, Das was on his way home after closing his medical shop when he was intercepted by a violent group. He was allegedly stabbed in the lower abdomen, beaten and then doused with petrol before being set on fire.

His wife recounted the horror, saying the attackers struck him on the head and left him burning. "I don't know who did this. We need justice. My husband is a simple man; he did not harm anyone. He did not hurt anyone," she said.

Das's condition worsened after the assault, following which he was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment.

Series of Mob Attacks on Hindus in Recent Weeks

The Shariatpur incident follows a disturbing pattern of mob violence against Hindus across Bangladesh. On December 24, a 29-year-old Hindu youth, Amrit Mondal, was allegedly lynched by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union.

Days earlier, on December 18, another Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, aged 25, was killed in a mob lynching in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh after false blasphemy accusations by a coworker. The attackers reportedly hung his body from a tree and later set it on fire.

Human rights groups have raised alarm over what they describe as escalating violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh.

India Raises Concern, Dhaka Rejects Allegations

India last week expressed grave concern over what it described as "unremitting hostility" against minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, stating that it is closely monitoring developments.

Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the criticism, calling India's statement "incorrect, exaggerated, and misleading".

The ministry said, "We observe that there are systematic attempts to portray isolated incidents of criminal acts as systematic persecution of Hindus and to maliciously use them to spread anti-Bangladesh sentiments in various parts of India. We see a selective and unwarranted bias in certain quarters, where isolated incidents are exaggerated, misrepresented, and publicised in order to incite ordinary Indians against Bangladesh, its diplomatic missions, and other establishments in India."

Political Fallout and Diplomatic Strain

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus of failing to protect minorities.

She said the government "fails to protect religious minorities and allows extremists to dictate foreign policy".

"These are the same actors who marched on the Indian Embassy and attacked our media offices, who attack minorities with impunity, and who forced me and my family to flee for our lives. Yunus has placed such figures in positions of power and released convicted terrorists from prison. India's concerns about the safety of its personnel are justified," Hasina added.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Dhaka on December 31 to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. During the visit, he met Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Tarique Rahman and handed over a condolence letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The four-hour visit came amid strained relations between the two neighbours since the Yunus-led interim government assumed power.