Hindu Trader Killed in Bangladesh Amid Rising Concerns Over Minority Safety Ahead of Elections
A 62-year-old Hindu trader, Susen Chandra Sarkar, was reportedly hacked to death inside his shop in Trishal upazila of Mymensingh district, Bangladesh, on Monday night.
The incident has once again drawn attention to concerns about the safety of minority communities in the country as parliamentary elections approach.
According to Muhammad Firoz Hossain, officer-in-charge of Trishal Police Station, the attack occurred at Bogar Bazar intersection.
Sarkar, a resident of Southkanda village and owner of “Bhai Bhai Enterprise,” was allegedly assaulted with a sharp weapon inside his shop. The assailants reportedly shut the shutters and fled.
When family members, who had been searching for him, opened the shop, they found him critically injured and covered in blood. He was rushed to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
His son, Sujan Sarkar, said the family had no known enmity with anyone and alleged that several hundred thousand taka were stolen from the shop after the killing.
He has demanded swift identification and punishment of those responsible.
Police have launched an investigation, but no arrests have been officially announced so far.
Broader Concerns Over Minority Violence
Sarkar’s death comes amid heightened political tension in Bangladesh ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections — the first since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following mass protests in August 2024.
Minority rights groups have expressed concern about what they describe as a rise in communal incidents over the past year.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council recently claimed that it recorded 51 incidents of communal violence in December 2025 alone.
However, it is important to note that official nationwide data specifically detailing how many Hindus have been killed since the political transition in 2024 has not been comprehensively published by government authorities.
Rights organisations and opposition groups have cited multiple cases of attacks, vandalism, intimidation, and occasional killings, while the government has maintained that law enforcement agencies are responding to incidents and that many cases are criminal in nature rather than communal.
Independent verification of the total number of Hindu fatalities linked directly to communal motives since Sheikh Hasina’s removal remains difficult due to overlapping political, criminal, and local disputes.
Political Climate and Community Anxiety
The killing of radical youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December had already heightened tensions in several districts.
As elections near, analysts say polarisation often increases, making minority communities feel more vulnerable.
Bangladesh’s Hindu population, according to the 2022 census, stands at approximately 13.13 million people — about 7.95% of the total population.
While the vast majority of communities continue to coexist peacefully, sporadic incidents tend to draw significant attention because of the country’s political sensitivities.
Security experts note that during periods of political transition, rumours and localised disputes can escalate rapidly.
Some incidents are later found to be linked to property conflicts, personal rivalries, or opportunistic crime rather than organised communal campaigns.
Nevertheless, fear within minority communities tends to grow when multiple violent events occur in close succession.
Calls for Accountability
Sarkar’s family has urged authorities to ensure a transparent investigation. Community leaders have called for stronger protective measures for vulnerable populations during the election period.
Law enforcement officials have said they are investigating “all angles” in the case. Whether the attack was purely criminal, politically motivated, or had communal undertones will depend on the findings of the ongoing probe.
As Bangladesh moves toward a crucial election, maintaining public trust, communal harmony, and the rule of law remains a central challenge for authorities.
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