Hindu grocery shop owner killed in Bangladesh
A 40-year-old grocery shop owner was fatally attacked with sharp weapons by unidentified assailants in Palash upazila of Narsingdi district late Monday night, authorities confirmed.
The victim, identified as Moni Chakraborty (also referred to in some reports as Mani or Sarat Chakraborty Moni), operated a long-standing grocery store at Charsindur Bazaar. According to police and local accounts, the attack occurred as he was heading home after closing his shop around 9-11 p.m. Assailants struck him with locally made sharp weapons, causing severe injuries. He collapsed at the scene, and residents quickly transported him to Palash Upazila Health Complex, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Palash Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahed Al Mamun stated that officers promptly responded to the incident, recovered the body, and sent it to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. “We are actively investigating to determine the motive and apprehend the perpetrators,” Mamun said. Family sources described Chakraborty as the son of Madan Chakraborty (or Madan Thakur in some accounts) from a nearby village in Shibpur upazila.
The killing has sparked outrage among local traders, who formed a human chain in Charsindur Bazaar on Tuesday demanding swift justice. Community leaders noted that Chakraborty was well-respected and had no known enemies or disputes.
This incident occurred on the same day as another fatal attack on a Hindu businessman in Jessore district. Earlier Monday evening, 38-year-old Rana Pratap Bairagi, owner of an ice factory and acting editor of a local newspaper, was shot multiple times in the head and had his throat slit at Kopalia Bazaar in Monirampur upazila. Police are probing possible links to internal feuds, though details remain unclear. These two deaths mark a troubling escalation in violence, coming amid reports of several targeted attacks on members of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority in recent weeks.
On January 3, Khokon Chandra Das succumbed to injuries after being hacked and set on fire in late December. Prior incidents include the lynching of Amrit Mondal in Rajbari and Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh over alleged offenses, as well as arson attempts on homes in Chattogram.
Human rights observers and minority advocacy groups have expressed alarm over the pattern, calling for stronger protections and thorough investigations. Bangladesh’s Hindu community, comprising about 8% of the population, has faced periodic spikes in violence, often linked to political instability.
Authorities have assured the public that efforts are underway to restore order and address security concerns ahead of upcoming national developments. No arrests have been reported in the latest cases as investigations continue.
