Daijiworld Media Network - Bangladesh

Bangladesh, Jan 6: A Hindu grocery store owner was allegedly hacked to death in Bangladesh’s Narsingdi district, marking the second killing of a Hindu within 24 hours and triggering renewed concern over the safety of minorities in the country.

The victim, identified as Moni Chakraborty, was attacked with sharp weapons around 10 pm on Monday. He later succumbed to his injuries, local sources said.

Just hours earlier, Rana Pratap (45), a factory owner and acting editor of a local newspaper, was brutally murdered in Jashore district. Pratap was reportedly shot multiple times in the head and had his throat slit. Police recovered seven bullet casings from the spot.

According to locals, Pratap, who ran an ice factory at Kopalia Bazar, was called out by a group of men on Monday evening, led into a nearby alley and shot at close range. The attackers allegedly arrived on a motorcycle, argued with him briefly and fled after opening fire.

A senior police officer confirmed that Pratap was shot three times in the head.

“We are investigating the incident and trying to identify those involved,” he said, adding that Pratap had multiple cases registered against him.

Monday’s killings come amid a disturbing rise in violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, who make up about 7 per cent of Bangladesh’s population.

On Saturday, a Hindu woman in Jhenaidah district was raped by two men who also demanded money. When she screamed, the attackers allegedly tied her to a tree, shaved her head, recorded the assault and circulated the video on social media. She later fell unconscious and was admitted to hospital.

Earlier, Khokon Chandra Das (50), a medicine shop owner and mobile banking agent, was set on fire by unidentified assailants while returning home after closing his shop. Though he managed to jump into a pond and douse the flames, he succumbed to his injuries in hospital on January 3.

On December 29, Bajendra Biswas (40), a Hindu man and member of the Ansar Bahini, was shot dead at a garment factory in Mymensingh by a colleague. Another incident saw Amrit Mondal (29) lynched in Rajbari district on December 24 over alleged extortion.

India has expressed “grave concern” over what it described as “unremitting hostility” against minorities in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities — including killings, arson and land grabs — have been documented by independent sources during the current administration.

“These incidents cannot be brushed aside as media exaggeration or dismissed as political violence,” he said.