Bangladeshi traders form human chain to seek justice for slain Hindu businessman

Dhaka/New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) Business owners in Bangladesh's Narsingdi district on Tuesday formed a human chain demanding justice for the murder of a Hindu trader, according to eyewitnesses.

Moni Chakraborty, a 40-year-old grocery shop owner, was murdered by unidentified attackers who struck him with a sharp weapon on Monday night at Charsindhur Bazar in Palash Upazila of Narsingdi. His mortal remains were consigned to flames on Tuesday.

More than a hundred traders from Charsindur Bazar formed a human chain under the banner of the local market association, calling for the immediate identification and arrest of those responsible for the killing.

The protesters demanded a swift and transparent investigation and warned of tougher agitation if the perpetrators were not arrested within the next 24 hours, the eyewitnesses said.

A close friend of the victim, Rajendra Chohri, said Chakraborty was well regarded in the area and had no known disputes.

“We don’t have the strength to speak right now. He was such a good person that it’s beyond imagination that he could have had any enemies,” he said, ruling out any religious motive or involvement of extremist groups behind the killing.

Chakraborty was killed near his home while returning from his business establishment.

Another eyewitness and relative, Pradip Chandra Barman, described the attack as "premeditated".

“There was prior enmity... They (the attackers) did not take his mobile phone or motorcycle. He closed his shop and was heading home when he was killed right in front of his house before the attackers fled. It is a very tragic incident,” he said.

Those present at the demonstration included Charsindur Bazar Association acting president Angur Bhuiya, general secretary Faruk Bhuiya, Bangladesh Hindu Mahajot’s central organising secretary Kishore Kumar, Palash Upazila president Lipon Debnath and other local leaders.

Chakraborty's killing took place hours after another Hindu businessman, Rana Pratap Bairagi (38), was fatally shot in the head on Monday evening by unidentified men in Jessore district. Bairagi was also the acting editor of a newspaper called 'Dainik BD Khabar' published from Narail.

On January 3, Khokon Chandra Das (50) died after he was brutally attacked, hacked and set on fire.

On December 24, another Hindu man, Amrit Mondal, was lynched over alleged extortion in Rajbari town's Pangsha upazila.

On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das (25) was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh city.

There has been a spate of violence targeting Hindus in Bangladesh in the last few weeks, and mob violence or clandestine attacks have emerged as a major crisis in the changed political landscape, according to political observers.

As per the 2022 census, the Hindu population in Bangladesh is approximately 13.13 million, which accounts for about 7.95% of the country's total population. PTI SCY SCY