Hindu businessman brutally murdered in Dhaka; Fifth death in a month

Dhaka : Khoken Chandradas, a Hindu businessman in Bangladesh, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday after being brutally attacked and set on fire by a group of assailants last Wednesday night. The incident took place near Damudya Bazaar in Shariatpur district, approximately 150 km from Dhaka, where Chandradas ran a pharmacy and mobile banking business.

According to police and local reports, Chandradas was returning home after closing his shop when the attackers ambushed him. They first assaulted him with weapons and then poured petrol on him, setting him ablaze. Chandradas attempted to escape by jumping into a nearby pond. While he avoided the worst of the fire, he suffered severe burns on his head and face. The attackers fled immediately after the assault.

Local residents rushed Chandradas to a nearby hospital. However, due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to a major hospital in Dhaka, where he fought for his life for three days before passing away.

Speaking about the tragedy, his wife Seema Das said, “We had no enmity with anyone in the village. We don’t understand why my husband was targeted so cruelly. He had identified two of the attackers as Muslims, after which they set him on fire. We demand justice and protection from the government.”

This incident is the latest in a series of attacks targeting minorities in Bangladesh. Human rights organizations report that since August 2024, more than 2,400 cases of communal violence have been recorded against Hindus and other minority communities. In December 2025, a Hindu man named Deepu Chandradas was similarly killed in a group attack.

Kajol Debnath, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council, condemned the killing, saying it reflects the continued attempts by extremist groups to intimidate minority communities.

India has repeatedly expressed concern over the rising attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, and international organizations have criticized the Yusuf-led government for failing to protect vulnerable communities. Despite government statements pledging protection for minorities, attacks like the brutal killing of Khoken Chandradas reveal serious gaps in security measures.

Civil society leaders have called for swift justice, stronger law enforcement, and accountability for perpetrators, emphasizing that minority communities must be allowed to live without fear.