Muslim Violence Against Hindus in Bangladesh Worsens: 2 Men Killed, One Woman Gang-Raped

The condition of Hindus in Bangladesh has not improved since the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s regime, and the situation continues to deteriorate sharply. In our earlier reports, we documented several killings, lynchings, and the burning of Hindu homes across Bangladesh. Some victims were beaten and burned to death, and others had their properties systematically torched, resulting in families being devastated and traumatized. Targeted Islamic jihad violence against Hindus has continued unabated into the new year. It has, in fact, worsened further, reviving grave concerns over the safety and survival of the Hindu community in the Islamic country, even as human rights agencies and the United Nations remain in winter hibernation.

On January 5, 2026, Rana Pratap Bairagi, a 38-year-old Hindu businessman and journalist, was fatally shot in broad daylight in the Monirampur upazila of Jessore district. Bairagi was not only a successful ice factory owner in Kapalia Bazar, but also served as the acting editor of the local newspaper Dainik BD Khabar, published from Narail, making him a prominent figure in his community. According to police and residents, the marauders arrived on a motorcycle and called him out from his business premises late on Monday afternoon. They then led him into an alley near the Kapalia Clinic and Diagnostic Centre, where they shot him multiple times in the head at close range before fleeing the scene. Officers at the Monirampur Police Station reported that Bairagi’s throat was also slit, indicating the ferocity of the attack. A case has been filed naming 10-12 unidentified suspects, but no individual names have been publicly confirmed yet. Government statements, as always, have downplayed communal motives, but the ruthless killing reveals an extensive pattern of violence against religious minorities in particular.

Just hours after Bairagi’s murder, members of pro-jihad groups attacked and killed 40-year-old Sharat (also known as Mani) Chakraborty with sharp weapons while he was running his grocery shop in Charsindur Bazaar in Narsingdi district, near Dhaka. Locals rushed him to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way. As expected, Bangladeshi police have failed to identify the killers of Chakraborty as well, and have made no arrests in connection with the case so far. While authorities continue to cite an ongoing investigation, neighbors and residents insist there was only one reason he was targeted, and it was “that he was a Hindu.” Reacting to the near-simultaneous killings of journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi and Sharat Chakraborty, prominent social activist Bappaditya Basu strongly condemned the violence, remarking that “before the blood of one Hindu in Bangladesh has even dried, another Hindu is being killed.” Basu further alleged that Muslim thugs had demanded a substantial sum of money from Sarat just two days before his murder, warning him that if he wished to continue living in Bangladesh, he would have to pay jizya. According to the allegation, they threatened severe consequences should he approach the police, including a dreadful warning that his wife would be abducted. Hindu traders in the area say the killing has instilled fear among shopkeepers and daily wage workers, many of whom now feel unsafe attending to their businesses, particularly after sunset.

Hindu women are not spared from Islamic torture, either; in fact, more often than not, they are the most coveted and easy target to prey on by these jihadis. In an alarming escalation of violence targeting Hindu women, a 40-year-old Hindu widow in the Kaliganj area of Jhenaidah district was gang-raped, tortured, and publicly humiliated on Saturday, January 3, just days before the murders of Bairagi and Chakraborty. The woman was ambushed by two local Muslims identified as Shahin and Hasan, who had been harassing her for some time.

On the night of the incident, Shahin and Hasan forced their way inside and sexually assaulted her repeatedly. As she resisted and cried for help, they grew increasingly violent. After initially raping her, the jihadis dragged her outside, tied her to a tree nearby, continued to torture her, and cut off her hair to induce a form of physical and symbolic humiliation. According to the victim’s statement, Shahin and Hasan also demanded approximately 50,000 taka ($400 USD). They recorded the ordeal on video while tying her to a tree and cutting her hair. The footage was later circulated on social media, further deepening her humiliation and trauma.

Neighbors took her to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital. Medical examination verified signs of physical and sexual assault, after which the woman filed a formal complaint at Kaliganj Police Station, naming both as accused. Police confirmed that her statement has been recorded, and said they are conducting an investigation and intend to take legal action.

The execution-style killing of a Hindu businessman-journalist, the fatal stabbing of a grocery owner, and the torture and sexual assault of a Hindu widow illustrate a worsening pattern of violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Since mid-December 2025, at least six Hindus have been killed in just 18 days, with repeated reports of lynching, mob attacks, and arson burning of homes and properties.

Despite earlier reporting that drew attention to these patterns, the latest spate of violence marks no meaningful reduction in attacks, but rather an increase in their severity and scope.