Hindu auto driver beaten to death in Bangladesh as fresh wave of attacks on minorities intensifies

The killing took place in Daganbhuiyan, located in Chittagong district, on Sunday night.

Samir was allegedly assaulted with country-made weapons and stabbed repeatedly before succumbing to his injuries. After the attack, the assailants fled the scene with their battery-operated auto-rickshaw.

Police term attack ‘pre-planned’

Local police officials described the murder as a calculated assault. 

A senior officer from Daganbhuiyan police station said preliminary findings suggest the crime was premeditated.

“Samir was beaten and stabbed to death using crude weapons. Prima facie, it appears to be a planned murder. After killing him, the perpetrators also looted his auto-rickshaw,” the officer said, adding that the victim’s family is preparing to file a First Information Report. 

Authorities have launched a manhunt to identify and arrest those responsible.

Rights body raises alarm

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, a prominent human rights organisation, expressed deep concern over what it described as a growing pattern of violence against religious minorities. 

The group warned that attacks on Hindu communities have been rising sharply as Bangladesh heads toward its national elections scheduled for February.

The organisation noted that the repeated incidents have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among minority groups across the country.

India reacts to attacks on minorities

New Delhi has also voiced concern over the treatment of minorities in Muslim-majority Bangladesh. 

India has repeatedly raised the issue of attacks on Hindus and other vulnerable communities with Dhaka.

Bangladesh’s interim leader and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, however, has accused India of overstating the scale of the violence.

MEA flags ‘disturbing pattern’

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said last week that it continues to closely monitor the situation in Bangladesh. 

Addressing the media, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the violence as part of a troubling trend.

“We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities, including their homes and business establishments. Such communal incidents must be dealt with swiftly and firmly,” Jaiswal said.

He also criticised attempts to downplay the attacks by attributing them to personal disputes or political rivalries, warning that such narratives embolden extremist elements.

“There is a worrying tendency to explain these incidents as personal vendettas or unrelated disputes. This only strengthens extremists and deepens fear among minority communities,” he added.

Growing fear ahead of elections

With Bangladesh approaching a crucial election season, rights groups and international observers are increasingly alarmed by the spike in communal violence. 

The killing of Samir Das has once again drawn attention to the precarious situation faced by religious minorities, as calls grow louder for stronger action to curb extremism and ensure accountability.