Hindu leader kidnapped and killed in Bangladesh as attacks on minorities continue

In yet another incident of violence against minorities in Bangladesh, a Hindu leader identified as Bhabesh Chandra was kidnapped and brutally assaulted to death in Dinajpur's Biral upazila. The man was a prominent leader of the Hindu community in the area who also acted as the Vice-President of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, local media reported. The officials at Biral Police Station said that police are working to identify and arrest the suspects involved, and preparations are underway to file a case.

Speaking to local media, Chandra's wife Shantana Roy, said that four men arrived on two motorcycles and kidnapped Bhabesh from their residence on Thursday.The assailants then took Bhabesh to Narabari village, where he was brutally beaten and then his unconscious body was dropped back at his home. He was rushed to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival.

After the ouster of the Awami League government's Sheikh Hasina, there have been several incidents of attacks on the minority communities all over the country, particularly on the Hindu community. A report of the Dhaka-based human rights organisation, Ain O Salish Kendra (AsK), highlighted that there are reports of a total of 147 incidents of vandalisation of houses, temples, and business establishments of the Hindu community across Bangladesh. Some 408 households were vandalised in these incidents, including 36 cases of arson. Besides, there have been reports of 113 incidents of vandalising business establishments owned by the minority community, 32 incidents of attack on temples and mosques of the Ahmadiyya sect, and 92 incidents of vandalising idols in 92 temples.

Bangladesh has largely been unstable after Muhammad Yunus took over the government in August last year, with protests rocking the country. India has time and again raised concerns against the atrocities of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, during his first meeting with Yunus earlier this month.

"We have conveyed our concerns regarding the treatment of minorities and the kind of violence that has happened against them. We have been raising this in several of our conversations, including our meeting in Bangkok, that this violence and atrocities against minorities cannot simply be wished away or dismissed as political reasons or media agitations. We hope that the Bangladesh government will take strong action against those responsible for these atrocities," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a media briefing after PM Modi met Yunus. 

Previously, after Yunus came to power, India said that the PM reiterated his call for the safety and security of the "Hindus and all other minority communities" in Bangladesh.