Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has condemned the alleged assault of a Hindu widow in Bangladesh, stating that 'such violence against anyone, anywhere is unacceptable'.
A 40-year-old Hindu woman was allegedly gang-raped by two men in Bangladesh's Kaliganj, a sub-district of Jhenaidah. She was also tied to a tree and had her hair cut off as atrocities against minorities continue in the country.
Dhawan took to social media to condemn the act. "Heartbreaking to read about the brutal assault on a Hindu widow in Bangladesh. Such violence against anyone, anywhere, is unacceptable. Prayers for justice and support for the survivor," Dhawan said in an X post.
According to the police complaint filed by the woman, she stated that she bought three decimals of land along with a two-storey house for 2 million taka from Shahin and his brother in Ward No. 7 of Kaliganj municipality about two-and-a-half years ago, local media reported. She alleged that Shahin later began making indecent proposals and harassing her after she rejected him.
The complaint states that on Saturday evening, when two relatives from her village were visiting, Shahin and his associate Hasan forced their way into the house and raped her. The accused then allegedly demanded 50,000 taka (around Rs 37,000).
When she refused to pay, they are said to have assaulted her relatives and chased them away. The woman further alleged that as she screamed for help, the men tied her to a tree, cut off her hair, filmed the act, and circulated the video on social media.
Atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh
Meanwhile, minorities have been targeted in Bangladesh. A 25-year-old Hindu man died after jumping into a canal while trying to escape a mob that was chasing him on suspicion of theft, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place in the Mahadebpur area of Naogaon district.
This is the latest incident in a series of attacks targeting Hindus in Bangladesh, which has been witnessing unrest since the death of prominent student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December last year.
The most recent incident comes close on the heels of the murder of a 40-year-old Hindu grocery shop owner in Narsingdi city. According to local media reports, a Hindu man named Sarat Mani Chakraborty was killed in Bangladesh. Sarat Mani, a grocery store owner, was reportedly attacked with sharp weapons in the Narsingdi district at around 10 pm on Monday. He later died of his injuries.
