Another Hindu killed in Bangladesh: How safe are minorities in the country?

Another Hindu man has reportedly been killed in Bangladesh. The South Asian country has reported a spate of violence against its minorities since the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government last August.

This is the third incident of the killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh in two weeks, raising safety concerns. Amid this, India has raised concerns about the violence targeting minorities in its neighbouring country.

Let’s take a closer look.

Another Hindu killed in Bangladesh

Bajendra Biswas, a Hindu garment factory worker, was shot dead in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh.

He was killed while on duty by his colleague, Noman Mia, at the Sultana Sweaters Limited factory in the Mehrabari area of Bhaluka upazila, ANI reported. Noman has since been arrested.

Biswas, 40, was a member of the Ansar Bahini, a paramilitary auxiliary force under Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs, that maintains internal security and law enforcement in the country. Noman was also a member of the Ansar Bahini.

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As per an RTV Bangladesh report, about 20 Ansar members were working at the garment factory at the time of the incident on Monday (December 29) evening.

Noman allegedly pressed a shotgun against Biswas’ thigh and fired, critically injuring him.

According to NDTV, Ansar member APC Azahar Ali, who witnessed the incident, said, “Ansar members Noman Mia and Bajendra were sitting together in my room at the time of the incident. Suddenly, he pointed a gun (shotgun) at Bajendra’s thigh and said, ‘Shall I shoot?’ and then fired. After that, Noman ran away.”

He said he had not seen any argument between the duo before the incident.

Biswas was taken to the Upazila Health Complex, where he was declared dead, ANI reported, citing local media.

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Recent violence targeting Hindus in Bangladesh

The killing of Biswas is the third such fatal attack on a Hindu in Bangladesh in two weeks.

On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das, 27, was beaten to death by a mob in Mymensingh, in northern Bangladesh, after being accused of blasphemy. He was lynched, his body tied to a tree and set on fire.

Das’ death led to protests in parts of India, including Delhi and West Bengal. His father told NDTV that his son had received threats earlier and was killed over his job.

His grieving father said, “My son was lucky in getting the job as they had a draw of lots. He was a BA Pass and also set for promotion. But some people who did not get jobs conspired to kill him.”

“They had threatened to kill him many times if he didn’t give them jobs. How can he? These same people then went to the manager and probably bribed him. They spread rumours that Dipu Das committed blasphemy,” the elder Das added.

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, condemned the lynching, saying there was “no place for such violence in the new Bangladesh”. It also promised that no one involved in the killing would be spared.

Bangladesh Police have arrested 12 people, including two of Das’ co-workers, in connection with the case. Das had married three years ago and has a toddler daughter.

On December 24, another Hindu youth, identified as Amrit Mondal, alias Samrat, was killed by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union in Bangladesh. He was accused of visiting a villager’s house to demand extortion money.

Reports say that police alleged Mondal was involved in criminal activities in the area for many years.

Multiple incidents of arson attacks against Hindu households have also been reported in Bangladesh in recent weeks.

Over the weekend, a Hindu family’s house was set ablaze in Dumritala village in the Pirojpur district. As per reports, attackers allegedly stuffed a cloth into one of the rooms and torched it, causing the fire to spread rapidly through the house.

The Saha family, affected by the attack, told NDTV that they were trapped inside the burning house, as the doors had been locked from the outside. They managed to escape by cutting through tin sheets and bamboo fencing.

Are Hindus living in fear under Yunus regime?

The law and order situation and safety of minorities have come under the scanner in Bangladesh since Yunus formed the interim government in August 2024, following Hasina’s ouster.

There has been a spurt in violence against Bangladesh’s minority Hindu community since the murder of  Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi on December 18.

On December 26, India said more than 2,900 violent incidents targeting minority communities in Bangladesh have been witnessed under the Yunus government, adding that these incidents cannot be dismissed as “political violence” or “media exaggeration”.

“The unremitting hostility against minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists at the hands of extremists is a matter of grave concern,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week.

While some argue that attacks on Hindus were even reported when Hasina’s secular Awami League party was in power in Bangladesh, the fear among minority communities in the country has surged since her ouster.

Deboraj Bhattacharjee, a Hindu banker in Dhaka, told Al Jazeera last December that “since the fall of Hasina, there is no way to deny the fear and insecurity that’s gripping the Hindu communities … mostly in rural areas.”

Anti-Hindu religious activists, “who couldn’t dominate much during the Hasina rule, now are in strength”, he added.

Bangladesh is going to the polls in February 2026. Will the situation improve for the country’s minorities? Only time will tell.

With inputs from agencies