A Hindu trader was beaten to death in Bangladesh's Gazipur district on Saturday amid the continued violence against minorities in the neighbouring country. The victim has been identified as Liton Chandra Ghosh, who was the owner of Boishakhi Sweetmeat and Hotel as per the preliminary information.
At around 11 am (local time), he was allegedly attacked by some people at the Boro Nogor road in Kaliganj area of the Gazipur district. 55-year-old Ghosh, who was called Kali by the locals, was hit using a shovel that led to his death. The police have now launched an investigation and already taken three people into custody.
This is the second death of a Hindu person in the last 24 hours. On Friday, another man was crushed to death in the Rajbari district when he tried to stop a vehicle that was trying to leave a petrol pump without paying. However, it is not confirmed whether it was related to the targeting killing of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Local media reports said that the victim was 30-year-old Ripon Saha, who worked at Karim Filling Station in Goalanda Mor. Quoting police and eyewitnesses, local media reports said a black SUV took fuel worth Tk 5,000 (approximately Rs 3,710) and attempted to flee without paying. When Saha tried to stop the vehicle, he was crushed to death.
The police have seized the SUV, and arrested its owner Abul Hashem (55) and the driver, Kamal Hossain (43). "We will file a murder case. The worker stood in front of the car after they refused to pay for fuel, and they ran him over before fleeing," Rajbari Sadar Police chief Khondakar Ziaur Rahman said.
Since the killing of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi, Bangladesh has seen a rise in targeted attacks on Hindus, who account for 7.95 per cent of the country's total population (approximately 13.13 million). Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) has also alleged that communal violence has increased in the country ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections.
According to it, 51 incidents of communal violence were alone reported in December last year. All these attacks, it alleged, are taking place to prevent the minorities from voting in the upcoming general elections.
India has also expressed concerns over these targeted killings and urged the Bangladesh government led by Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus to ensure the safety of the minorities and taken stern action against those involved in these incidents.
