A 50-year-old Hindu businessman became the latest victim of a savage assault in Bangladesh's Shariatpur district, highlighting a disturbing pattern of violence against minorities. Khokon Chandra Das was brutally attacked, hacked with sharp weapons, and set on fire by miscreants on Wednesday night.
A Brutal Nighttime Assault
The horrific incident took place around 9:30 PM on Wednesday near Keurbhanga Bazaar in the Koneshwar Union of Damudya Upazila. Khokon, who runs a medicine shop and a mobile banking business at the bazaar, was returning home in an autorickshaw after closing his shop. According to officials, miscreants stopped his vehicle on the Damudya-Shariatpur road near the market and launched their assault.
The attackers first beat him severely. They then escalated the violence, hacking him with sharp weapons. In a final act of cruelty, they poured petrol over him and set him ablaze. In a desperate bid to save his own life, Khokon managed to jump into a nearby pond. Eyewitnesses stated that the attackers fled the scene only after hearing screams from people in the area.
Victim's Condition and Police Investigation
Locals rushed the critically injured man to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was urgently referred to a hospital in Dhaka for advanced treatment. Doctors at the initial hospital confirmed he had sustained multiple severe injuries across his body.
In a statement to reporters, Khokon's wife, Seema Das, expressed shock and confusion. She revealed a crucial detail: her husband had recognised two of the attackers, which may have been the motive behind the attempt on his life. "We have no disputes with anyone. We do not understand why he was targeted," she said.
Police have since named two local suspects, identified as Rabbi and Sohag. Authorities have stated that efforts are underway to arrest them and to identify any other individuals involved in this gruesome crime.
A Pattern of Violence Against Minorities
This attack is not an isolated event. It follows a series of violent incidents targeting minority communities in Bangladesh in recent weeks.
Last month in Mymensingh, a poor labourer named Dipu Chandra Das was set on fire by a mob over alleged blasphemy, and his body was later found hanged from a tree. In a separate incident, a factory security guard named Bajendra Biswas was shot dead by his colleague. Furthermore, arsonists locked doors and set eight Hindu houses ablaze in different parts of the country.
These consecutive events paint a grim picture of the security situation for religious minorities in Bangladesh, raising serious concerns about communal harmony and the rule of law.
