Bangladesh: Targeted mob sets Hindu family’s home ablaze as minority attacks continue, say reports

As violence against minorities continues in Bangladesh, a Hindu-owned house was set on fire amid growing mob unrest following the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi earlier this month and the country’s shifting political climate.

According to local media reports, unidentified miscreants torched several rooms of the Saha family’s residence in Dumritola village in Pirojpur on December 27, in what was described as a targeted attack on minorities. The attackers allegedly stuffed cloth into one of the rooms and set it ablaze, causing the fire to spread rapidly through the house.

Taslima Nasreen reacts

Reacting to the incident on X, Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen said five rooms of the Saha family’s house were burned down by “Hindu-hating jihadis” while the family was asleep.

She also referred to similar attacks in Raozan, Chattogram, where Hindu homes were set on fire at dawn, and questioned whether such violence against Hindus would continue unchecked across the country.

Similar arson attack near Chattogram

The Pirojpur incident comes days after another Hindu-owned house was torched near the southeastern port city of Chattogram. Family members said they woke up to intense heat in the early morning hours but were initially trapped inside as the doors had been locked from outside.

All eight members of the two affected families managed to escape by cutting through tin sheets and bamboo fencing. However, their household belongings were destroyed and their pets were killed. Police said five suspects have been arrested during raids, while efforts are ongoing to nab the remaining accused.

Threat messages and wider pattern of attacks

A threatening message written in Bengali accused Hindus of acting “against Islam and the Muslim community” and warned that the homes, property and businesses of non-Muslims “will not be spared” if such alleged actions continued.

According to The Daily Star, houses belonging to seven Hindu families were set ablaze across three locations in Raojan within five days, pointing to a broader pattern of arson in the area. Police later held a meeting with local influential figures to promote interfaith harmony and enhance vigilance against those responsible for such “heinous crimes”.

Unrest after Osman Hadi’s death

Bangladesh has been witnessing nationwide turmoil since December 12, when student leader Osman Hadi, a vocal critic of India, was shot in the head by unidentified gunmen. He was flown to Singapore for treatment, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Following his death, thousands of supporters took to the streets and vandalised media houses, including The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. In Mymensingh, a young Hindu factory worker, Dipu Chandra Das, was brutally lynched by a mob over blasphemy allegations, and his body was set on fire, triggering protests across the world.