Bangladesh unrest: Yunus government condemns Hindu youth's killing in Rajbari, denies communal angle
Bangladesh unrest: In a statement issued on Thursday night, the Bangladeshi government denied a communal angle to the incident, but pointed out that Mondal was accused in multiple serious criminal cases.
The Bangladesh interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has condemned the lynching of Hindu youth Amrit Mondal alias Samrat in the Rajbari district but denied that the killing was related to communal violence. Mondal, who was regarded as a youth leader, was assaulted on Wednesday night at the Hossaindanga Old Market in Pangsha Upazila and killed.
In a statement issued on Thursday night, the Bangladeshi government denied a communal angle to the incident, but pointed out that Mondal was accused in multiple serious criminal cases, including murder and extortion cases that were filed against him in 2023. It said arrest warrants were also issued against him in regard to those cases.
"According to police information and preliminary investigations, it is clearly evident that the incident is in no way related to communal violence," the statement read. "Rather, it arose from a violent situation stemming from extortion and criminal activities. The deceased, Amrit Mondal alias Samrat, was a listed top criminal who had entered the area with the intent of collecting extortion money. At one stage, he lost his life during a clash with agitated local residents."
Mondal's killing and unrest in Bangladesh
29-year-old Mondal is the second Hindu youth who has been lynched in Bangladesh following the unrest in the country after the killing of 32-year-old Sharif Osman Hadi. Earlier, Dipu Chandra Das, who used to work at a garment factory in Mymensingh, was lynched on accusations of blasphemy. However, it has been claimed that Das was falsely framed.
Meanwhile, violence has once again spread across Bangladesh following Hadi's killing. Hadi was the co-founder and spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, and had played a key role in protests in toppling the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hadi was also planning to contest the February 12 parliamentary elections and was campaigning in Dhaka earlier this month when he was shot in the head. He was shifted to Singapore, where he succumb to his injuries. The police have now arrested the main suspect's associate and a probe is underway to nab others.