New Delhi: A 50-year-old Hindu man in Bangladesh was stabbed, beaten and set on fire by a mob in Shariatpur district on December 31, in what is the fourth such attack on a member of the minority community in the country in the past two weeks.
The victim, identified as Khokon Das, was reportedly returning home after closing his medical store when the attackers intercepted him, stabbed him in the abdomen, assaulted him and doused him with petrol before setting him ablaze. Local media reports said he managed to survive by jumping into a nearby pond. He was later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after his condition deteriorated and is currently under treatment.
Das’s wife said the family had no known disputes. “My husband is a simple man. He did not harm anyone. We want justice,” she told reporters.
The incident follows a string of recent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. On December 24, 29-year-old Amrit Mondal was lynched in Kalimohar Union. Earlier, on December 18, 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das was killed and his body set on fire after false blasphemy allegations in Mymensingh district. Human rights groups say these cases reflect a troubling rise in violence targeting minorities.
The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has condemned the killings but has denied that the recent mob violence is communal in nature, stating that many incidents stem from criminal disputes. However, the attacks have intensified concerns in India and globally about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.
Last week, New Delhi expressed “grave concern” over what it called continuing hostility toward Hindus, Christians and Buddhists in the neighbouring country, saying it was closely monitoring developments.
Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sharply criticised the interim administration, alleging that extremists have been emboldened and that minorities are increasingly unsafe.
The latest assault comes at a politically sensitive time, with Bangladesh headed toward national elections in February 2026 and diplomatic ties with India already strained.
