Hindu man burnt alive in Bangladesh

A horrifying act of violence against a Hindu minority member has shocked Bangladesh, coming just weeks ahead of the national elections as a 23-year-old Hindu man, identified as Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik, was reportedly burned alive while sleeping in a garage in Narsingdi, around 50 km from Dhaka, raising renewed fears over the security of minority communities in the Muslim-majority nation.

Bhowmik, son of Khokan Chandra Bhowmik and a resident of Lakshmipur village in Cumilla district, worked at a garage located in the Khanabari Mosque Market area near Narsingdi Police Lines.

According to local media reports, he had finished his work on Friday night and fell asleep inside the garage when unidentified attackers set the premises ablaze. With large quantities of petrol, engine oil, and other inflammable materials stored in the garage, the fire spread rapidly, leaving Bhowmik trapped. He succumbed to severe burn injuries and suffocation. Eyewitnesses have described the incident as a “planned murder.”

Authorities have seized CCTV footage from nearby cameras that reportedly captured the attackers in action, but the culprits have not yet been identified. A police official said, “The police are conducting a thorough investigation, considering the seriousness of the case. We have recovered the body and seized the CCTV footage. Several police teams are working to identify and arrest the culprits.”

Bangladesh’s Hindu population is estimated at 13.13 million, accounting for nearly 8 per cent of the country’s total population, according to the 2022 census. In recent weeks, violence against Hindus has been rising, prompting India to express concerns over the safety of its minority community in the neighbouring country.

The attack on Bhowmik comes shortly after several other incidents targeting Hindus. Last week, a Hindu sweetshop owner in Gazipur district was beaten to death while defending an employee from an assault. In the same period, a Hindu household was set on fire in Sylhet district, and a Hindu autorickshaw driver was stabbed to death in Feni district.

These incidents underscore the growing fears of minority communities in Bangladesh, particularly ahead of the upcoming elections, as the government faces scrutiny over its ability to protect vulnerable populations from extremist violence.