Yet another communal riot in Bangladesh; man belonging to minority community beaten to death, body set on fire

DHAKA: In another incident of communal violence in Bangladesh, a man belonging to a minority community was beaten to death and his body was set on fire by a mob, allegedly over accusations of insulting Islam. The incident occurred in the Mymensingh district.

The victim has been identified as Deepu Chandra Das (30), a textile factory worker. According to reports, he was brutally attacked by a group of people at his workplace. After his death, the attackers dragged his body onto the road and set it on fire.

Bangladesh has been witnessing heightened tensions following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July protests. Amid this unrest, violence erupted at the textile factory where Deepu was employed. He was accused of blasphemy during a programme organised in connection with World Arabic Language Day.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that a mob gathered both inside and outside the factory, surrounded Deepu, and assaulted him relentlessly until he died. After confirming his death, the mob reportedly dragged his body to the Dhaka- Mymensingh highway, tied it up, and set it ablaze.

The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus strongly condemned the incident. In an official statement, the government said those responsible would be brought to justice and stressed that there is no place for such violence in the new Bangladesh.

The death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a radical leader known for his anti-India views, has sparked fresh unrest across the country. In the aftermath, attacks were reported on major Bangladeshi media outlets, including The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. Protesters accused these organisations of having links with India.

Fresh attacks were also reported on the already damaged house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The body of Deepu Chandra Das is currently in police custody. According to BBC Bangla, authorities have deployed heavy security in the area to prevent further violence.