Yet another Hindu youth killed in Bangladesh; eighth Hindu to be killed in country in three weeks

DHAKA: Yet another Hindu youth has been killed in Bangladesh. The victim has been identified as Joy Mahapatro, a native of Sunamganj district. Relatives have alleged that he was beaten by local residents and later poisoned. He died while undergoing treatment at a hospital. More details about the incident have not yet emerged. Joy is the eighth Hindu to be killed in the country within the past three weeks.

The latest incident comes just days after the death of another Hindu youth who tried to escape from a violent mob by jumping into a canal. The victim, Mithun Sarkar (25), was a native of Bhandarpur village. The incident took place in Naogaon on Sunday, where he was attacked by people accusing him of theft. His body was recovered from a canal by the police last Tuesday, three days after the incident.

Meanwhile, after Christmas, four mob attacks against members of the Christian community were reported in Satkhira district. Allegations are growing that the government and police are turning a blind eye to attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. There are also accusations that the police are downplaying such incidents by claiming the victims had criminal links or by describing the cases as personal disputes. Human rights organisations say that attacks on minorities began after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. According to these groups, 293 people from minority communities have been killed so far. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus of allowing extremist organisations to operate freely in the country.