Hindu student’s body found in Bangladesh amid rising attacks on minorities
Dhaka: Bangladesh has been witnessing sporadic but alarming incidents of violence against the Hindu minority, raising serious concerns about the safety of both local Hindus and Indians residing in the country.
In view of the deteriorating situation, the Government of India has reportedly advised families of its diplomats to leave Bangladesh as a precautionary measure. Several reports claim that more than 15 Bangladeshi Hindus have been killed in recent months in incidents linked to communal violence and mob attacks.
Amid this backdrop, the body of a Hindu student who had been missing for several days was recovered from a river in Bangladesh’s Naogaon district. According to local media reports, the body of the student, identified as Abhi, was found on Saturday afternoon in a river near the Kalitala cremation ground in Naogaon town.
The Daily Agrapatra Pratidin reported that the identity of the body was initially unknown, but was later confirmed as that of Abhi, a Hindu student. Abhi was pursuing a management course at a government college in Naogaon district and was studying in the fourth year of his degree programme.
His family members said he had been missing since January 11. After receiving information about the recovery of an unidentified body from the river, Abhi’s family rushed to the spot and identified the body based on the clothes he was wearing. The exact cause of death, however, is yet to be ascertained .
The deceased was the son of Ramesh Chandra, a resident of Santahar in Adamdighi upazila of Bogura district. Naogaon Sadar police station officer-in-charge Niamul Islam stated that the body has been sent for post-mortem examination and the cause of death will be determined after the report is received.
The incident has further intensified concerns as it comes amid a surge in violent attacks against Hindu minorities across several districts in Bangladesh. Reports indicate that at least 17 people have lost their lives in a series of violent incidents, including mob violence and public assaults.
Authorities have registered 14 cases and arrested 21 people so far, though no arrests have been made in four of the cases. Several gruesome killings of Hindus have been reported in recent weeks. In Mymensingh, Dipu Chandra Das was allegedly beaten and burned to death by extremists.
In other incidents, journalist and businessman Rana Pratap Bairagi was killed in Jessore, businessman Sharath Mani Chakravarthy was shot dead in Narsingdi, and jewellery trader Prantos Karmakar was allegedly lured from his home and murdered. Families have also alleged custodial deaths of Hindus, including Proloy Chaki, citing denial of medical care.
The recovery of the student’s body has once again drawn attention to the growing insecurity faced by religious minorities in Bangladesh.
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