Another Minority Killing: Hindu Youth Dies After Being Thrashed, Poisoned In Bangladesh

New Delhi: Another case of violence against minorities surfaced in Bangladesh where Joy Mahapatro, a resident of the Bhangadohor village in the Sunamganj district, was killed in the country. 

The shocking incident reportedly took place on Thursday after Joy was summoned to a local shop and attacked by a resident, as per the family of the victim. He was subsequently transported to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, where he tragically passed away from his injuries. 

The family has further alleged that Amirul Islam poisoned Joy. Describing the incident as a "pre-planned murder," they are demanding that those responsible be brought to justice. 

This tragedy follows closely on the heels of another recent death involving 25-year-old Mithun Sarkar. Sarkar, a resident of Bhandarpur village, reportedly drowned in a canal while attempting to flee a mob that was pursuing him on allegations of theft. Police retrieved his body on Tuesday afternoon. 

The death of radical youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi has been followed by a troubling surge in violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh, occurring just weeks before the parliamentary elections on February 12. 

In Mymensingh, 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das was fatally beaten, while Amrit Mondal was lynched by a mob in Rajbari on December 24. 

The violence continued with the shooting of 42-year-old Bajendra Biswas by a colleague in Mymensingh and the horrific death of Khokon Das, 50, who was set on fire in Shariatpur. 

Most recently, the community has mourned the loss of journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi, shot in Jessore on January 5, and 40-year-old Sarat Mani Chakraborty, who was killed in Narsingdi only a day later.

Indian High Commissioner Meets BNP Chief Rahman

High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, Pranay Kumar Verma, met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday. The meeting took place amid rising violence against Hindus in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina was deposed in the July 2024 uprising and consequently, the formation of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

Recurring Attacks On Minorities

India called on Bangladesh to firmly deal with communal incidents in the country on Friday. "We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities as well as their homes and businesses by extremists," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. 

Flagging this, Jaiswal said that "such disregard only emboldens the perpetrators" and further causes fear and insecurity among minorities. 

"We have repeatedly addressed this issue in earlier briefings and continue to see a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities, their homes, and businesses by extremists in Bangladesh," Jaiswal said. 

India had highlighted in a statement last month that there have been more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities, including cases of killings, arson, and land grabs, which have been documented by sources during the tenure of the interim government.

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