Days after Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was set on fire after being lynched in Bangladesh's Mymensingh, his family has claimed that the 27-year-old was killed over workplace rivalry rather than any alleged "blasphemous" remark. Das was killed by a mob last week amid a fresh wave of unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent face in the anti-government protests that led to the ouster of former premier Sheikh Hasina.
Soon, a chilling video of the assault went viral, showing hundreds of people exiting a garment factory, dragging Dipu onto the main road. He was seen being assaulted and was later killed. The mob then tied his body to a tree and burnt it.
Family's Account
Dipu was an employee of Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Limited, a garment factory. He recently appeared for a recruitment examination for promotion from floor manager to supervisor. According to his brother Apu Robi Das, Dipu had been having disputes with several colleagues over his position.
Tensions escalated inside the factory earlier on the day of the assault, Apu Das told Dhaka Tribune.
On the afternoon of the incident, he was forced to quit his job. Soon after, allegations of insulting religion were raised against him, the brother said.
"They beat my brother and threw him out of the factory. Even after he was caught and apologised, they did not spare him," he said.
According to the report, Apu Das received a call from his brother's friend Himel later that day, saying Dipu was being taken to the police station for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad.
"A short while later, he called again and said my brother was dead," he said.
When Apu Das reached the scene, he found his brother's body burnt. The victim's brother filed a case with the Bhaluka Police Station on Friday, accusing 140-150 unnamed people. It was alleged that Das had written a social media post hurting religious sentiments.
However, a local ward member, Tofazzel Hossain, said the killing was not a spontaneous act of religious outrage.
"I have heard Dipu had long-standing disputes over production targets, overtime, working conditions and workers' benefits," he told Dhaka Tribune.
"A conspiracy gradually formed to remove him from the factory," Tofazzel said, adding that Das was beaten about a kilometre from the factory, after which his body was tied to a tree and set on fire.
"Those involved must face exemplary punishment," he said.
Allegations Vs Findings
Bangladesh Police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have so far not found any evidence supporting 'blasphemy' claims against Das.
Abdullah Al Mamun, Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration), told Dhaka Tribune that allegations of hurting religious sentiments were merely based on word of mouth.
"We have not found any truth to the claims so far," he said.
Detailing the sequence of events, RAB commander Naimul Hasan said, "The incident began around 4:00 pm that day (Thursday). The factory floor in-charge forced him (Dipu) to resign and handed him over to an enraged mob."
"The issue of blasphemy is extremely vague. We tried to find out what he had actually said, but no one could clarify it. We are investigating whether there was any prior enmity. It has not yet been possible to identify with whom the incident initially began. We have learned that an argument broke out on the factory floor while work was ongoing, and it was no longer possible to keep him inside the factory," Prothom Alo quoted Hasan as saying
Arrests And Legal Action
Two more persons were arrested on Sunday in connection with the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, according to a media report.
With the latest arrests, 12 people have been held for their alleged involvement in the murder, The Daily Star newspaper reported, quoting police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) sources.
The Hindu population in Bangladesh has faced a series of anti-minority incidents across the country after the ouster of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year.
