48hrs before Bangladesh polls, Hindu trader stabbed to death
What's the story
A Hindu businessman, Sushen Chandra Sarkar (62), was brutally murdered inside his shop in the Bogar Bazar intersection of Trishal upazila, Mymensingh district, Bangladesh, just days before the country votes for its national parliamentary elections. The incident took place around 11:00pm on Monday night when unidentified assailants attacked Sarkar with sharp weapons. After the attack, the perpetrators shut down the shop's shutter and fled the scene, leaving Sarkar's body behind.
Ongoing probe
Investigation underway to ascertain motive behind murder
Sarkar was rushed to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Trishal Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Firoz Hossain confirmed the incident and said an investigation is underway to identify and apprehend those responsible. The motive behind the murder is still unclear, with officials looking into all possible angles.
Rising tensions
Victim's son demands justice
Sujan Sarkar, the victim's son, has demanded swift action against his father's killers. He said they had no known enemies and alleged that the criminals stole several hundred thousand taka from their store after killing his father. "We have had a rice business for a long time. No one had any enmity with us. The criminals stole several hundred thousand taka from the store after they brutally killed my father," he said.
Violence
Rising communal violence in Bangladesh
The incident comes amid rising communal violence in Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections on February 12. The country has seen a surge in mob attacks targeting minorities recently, with 51 incidents of communal violence reported in December alone by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council. The interim government, however, claimed the majority of incidents involving members of minority communities during 2025 were "criminal in nature" and not driven by communal motives.
Demographic details
First elections since Hasina's ouster
The upcoming elections will be the first since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in massive protests in August 2024. Bangladesh is the world's eighth most populated country, with over 173 million people. It is a largely Muslim country, with more than 90% of the people practicing Islam and 8% professing Hinduism. According to the 2022 census, there are around 13.13 million Hindus in Bangladesh, making up about 7.95% of the total population.