Bangladesh: Hindu man jumps into canal to escape mob; dies
What's the story
A Hindu man in Bangladesh died after jumping into a canal to escape a mob that was chasing him over theft allegations. The incident took place on Tuesday in Naogaon and the victim has been identified as Mithun Sarkar. According to Naogaon Police Super Mohammad Tariqul Islam, "He was chased by a mob accusing him of theft. He jumped into the water and after he jumped in, he died."
Recovery efforts
Police recover body, investigation underway
The police were alerted and with the help of the fire service, they recovered Sarkar's body from the water. A post-mortem examination is being conducted as part of an ongoing investigation into this incident. Violent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh have increased since December last year, when radical youth leader Osman Hadi was shot dead. Hadi was a key figure in the July 2024 student-led uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government.
Unrest continues
Series of attacks on Hindu community
On Monday, a 40-year-old Hindu grocery shop owner was killed in Narsingdi city and Rana Pratap Bairagi (38), a Hindu businessman and acting editor of a newspaper, was shot dead in Jessore district. Earlier incidents include Khokon Chandra Das being hacked and set on fire near Keurbhanga Bazar on January 3. These attacks come amid rising tensions ahead of Bangladesh's first parliamentary elections since the 2024 uprising against Hasina's government.