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he violence targeted towards the Hindu community in Bangladesh has shown itself again. Two Hindu men were killed on the same day, on different occasions. The lives lost include Sharat Chakraborty, Mani and Rana Pratap Bairagi.
Photo source: ClickerHappy, via Pexels, April 4th, 2017.
15-01-2026 | Pauliina Majasaari | Asia Team Researcher, Global Human Rights Defence.
A 40-year-old grocery shop owner, Sharat Chakraborty Mani in Narsingdi, and a 38-year-old Hindu journalist and businessman, Rana Pratap Bairagi in Manirampur, Jashore, were killed on January 5th, 2026. Mani was attacked with sharp weapons while running his grocery shop. According to eyewitnesses, unidentified assailants attacked Mani, and while he was critically injured, he was rushed to the hospital and died during transport. Additionally, Rana was brutally murdered with three shots to the head and a slit throat. A witness testified that three unidentified individuals arrived by motorcycle at Rana’s ice factory, called him out, murdered him, and immediately fled the scene.
Grieving families are left behind, where Mani’s wife, Antara Mukherjee, and his 12-year-old son, Abhik Chakraborty, were left without a husband and a father. According to Mani’s family and neighbours, he lived a peaceful life and had no disputes with anyone, leading to suspicions of religious motives behind his murder.
While the motives and perpetrators are still unknown for the murder of Rana, the police believe that the killing might have been caused by a business dispute. However, it is still unclear whether the killing was connected to a communal angle, or targeting the Hindu community.
These instances are among many, where the Hindu minority is living in fear of the recent surge of attacks conducted against them. Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, violence and intimidation towards religious minorities, especially the Hindu community, have increased vastly in the Muslim majority Bangladesh. In addition to killings, the Hindu community individuals are subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention, harassment and intimidation, sexual violence, burning down of houses, and forced displacement. Such actions create concern for the minority’s human rights, such as the right to life and freedom of religion, as well as the state of law and order in the nation. International actors are asked to report on the human rights abuses taking place, to make sure violations do not go unnoticed.
