Chased Over Theft Suspicion, Bangladeshi Hindu Man Jumps Into Canal, Dies

A 25-year-old Hindu man died today after jumping into a canal to escape a mob chasing him on suspicion of theft. The body of the victim, identified as Mithun Sarkar from Bhandarpur village, was recovered by the police on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident comes amid a sharp rise in violence targeting religious minorities in the neighbouring country as it prepares for its first parliamentary elections since the 2024 uprising that toppled the Sheikh Hasina government.

The death of Mithun Sarkar is the latest in a series of brutal attacks reported over the last few days.

Yesterday, a Hindu businessman, who was also the acting editor of a newspaper, was fatally shot in the head by unidentified men in Jessore district of Bangladesh. On the same day, a 40-year-old Hindu man, owner of a grocery shop, was killed with a sharp weapon by unidentified attackers in Bangladesh's Narsingdi city.

On January 3, Khokon Chandra Das (50) died after he was brutally attacked and set on fire near Keurbhanga Bazar in Damudya in Shariatpur district.

These incidents follow a violent December.

On December 24, 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.

The surge in violence targeting religious minorities comes even as the country is preparing for its first parliamentary elections since a mass uprising toppled the government of Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Voting will take place on February 12.

The Council for Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian Unity issued a statement today revealing at least 51 targeted incidents in December alone, including 10 murders. The council detailed cases of arson, rape, and looting, expressing grave concerns that these atrocities are part of a coordinated effort to intimidate minorities ahead of the February 12 voting.

"Bangladesh has endured political turbulence before, but the current moment is marked by a dangerous combination of institutional fragility and rising communal anxiety," a report from the council noted.

Human rights observers suggest that the recent killings are not isolated tragedies but signals of a systemic breakdown in the state's ability to protect its most vulnerable citizens. As the election date nears, the international community has expressed concern over the safety of religious minorities and the stability of the interim administration.