Two Hindu men, one woman raped in Bangladesh: outrage over brutal attacks on minorities
Dhaka: A horrific incident in Bangladesh Jhenaidah district has once again exposed the grim reality of violence and atrocities faced by the Hindu minority in the country.
In Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah, a 40-year-old Hindu widow was allegedly gang-raped by two men, tied to a tree, her hair forcibly cut, and then extorted for money. The barbaric act has triggered widespread condemnation and renewed concerns over the safety and dignity of religious minorities in Bangladesh.
According to details that have emerged, the accused have been identified as Shaheen and his brother Hasan. The survivor had purchased a two-storey house along with the land around two-and-a-half years ago from Shaheen and his brother for nearly 20 lakh taka.
After she began living alone in the house, Shaheen frequently visited her under various pretexts and allegedly subjected her to repeated sexual harassment. When the woman resisted and firmly rejected his advances, the harassment escalated into extreme violence.
On Saturday evening, when two of the widow’s relatives had come to visit her in the village, Shaheen and Hasan allegedly barged into her house, assaulted the relatives, and brutally raped the woman. After the assault, the accused reportedly demanded 50,000 taka (around ₹37,000) from her, adding financial extortion to the list of crimes committed against the helpless widow.
The brutality did not end there. When the woman screamed for help, the accused allegedly tied her to a tree, cut her hair to publicly humiliate her, and recorded the entire act on a mobile phone.
The video was later circulated on social media, amplifying the cruelty and psychological trauma inflicted on the survivor. Due to severe physical and mental torture, the woman reportedly slipped into a semi-conscious state. Alerted villagers later rescued her and rushed her to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital for treatment.
Hospital superintendent Dr M D Mustafizur Rahman stated that the survivor initially hesitated to narrate the incident. However, medical examination confirmed signs of sexual assault, after which the woman gathered courage and lodged a formal complaint at the Kaliganj police station against Shaheen and Hasan.
Jhenaidah Additional Superintendent of Police Bilal Hossain said police have recorded the complaint and assured that “strict legal action will be taken after a thorough investigation.”
This shocking incident is not an isolated one but part of a disturbing pattern of sustained violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. In recent weeks, several cases of mob lynching, targeted killings, and attacks on Hindu individuals and properties have been reported from different districts.
In Shariatpur district, Hindu trader Khokan Chandra Das was brutally assaulted by a mob and set on fire. Though he managed to escape by jumping into a pond, he later succumbed to burn injuries in a Dhaka hospital.
Similarly, in Kalimohar Union, another Hindu youth, Amrit Mondal, was killed by a mob. While the interim government condemned the killing, it controversially claimed there was no communal angle involved.
Earlier, 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das was lynched on allegations of blasphemy, his body hung from a tree and set ablaze — a chilling reminder of how rumours and communal hatred can turn deadly.
Despite assurances from the interim government, atrocities against the Hindu community have continued unabated. The killing of grocery store owner Moni Chakraborty in Narsingdi district, allegedly hacked to death with sharp weapons, marked yet another fatal attack within a span of 24 hours.
These incidents, coupled with the rape and humiliation of a Hindu widow, underline the growing insecurity among minorities.
Human rights activists and minority groups have strongly condemned these acts, accusing the authorities of failing to provide adequate protection. They have urged the Bangladesh government to ensure swift justice, strengthen law enforcement, and send a clear message that crimes driven by communal hatred will not be tolerated.
As international attention slowly turns towards Bangladesh, the repeated targeting of Hindus raises serious questions about minority rights, rule of law, and accountability. Without decisive action, critics warn, such atrocities will continue to erode the country’s social fabric and tarnish its global image.
Also Read: Two Hindu men, one woman raped in Bangladesh: outrage over brutal attacks on minorities
