Hindu Businessman Dies After Violent Attack in Bangladesh

Tragic Incident in Shariatpur District

A Hindu businessman tragically passed away on Saturday, just three days after he was brutally attacked while heading home from work in the Shariatpur district of Bangladesh.

Khokon Chandra Das, aged 50, was assaulted near Keurbhanga Bazar in the Damudya upazila on Wednesday night after he closed his pharmacy.

Das also served as an agent for mobile financial services.

At approximately 9:30 PM, armed assailants reportedly halted his autorickshaw, attacked him with sharp weapons, and subsequently set him ablaze using flammable materials.

Local residents managed to rescue him and transported him to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital, where he was later referred to Dhaka due to the severity of his injuries. He received treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Medical professionals indicated that Das suffered from multiple injuries, including a severe abdominal wound and burns on his face, head, and hands.

A family member revealed that around 30% of Das's body was burned, and his condition deteriorated early Saturday morning.

Before his passing, Das identified two of his alleged attackers, Sohag Khan, 27, and Rabbi Mollah, 21. The police later added a third suspect, Palash Sardar, 25, to the case.

Authorities filed a case against the three suspects late Thursday and are actively pursuing their arrest while investigating potential motives related to cash Das may have been carrying from his business.

Kajol Debnath from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council noted that this marks the fifth death of a Hindu individual since December, with seven attacks on the community reported within the month.

These incidents occur amidst significant unrest in Bangladesh following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, who died from gunshot wounds in Singapore on December 18.

Hadi was a key figure in the 2024 student protests that led to the ousting of the previous government led by Awami League's Sheikh Hasina.

On December 26, India condemned the lynching of another Hindu man in Bangladesh, expressing concern over the ongoing hostility against minorities.

Two days later, Dhaka dismissed these remarks as inaccurate and exaggerated, with the Bangladeshi foreign ministry spokesperson asserting that such statements misrepresent the nation's tradition of communal harmony.