Beaten and humiliated, another Hindu youth dies in Bangladesh

Dhaka: As violence against minorities continues to mount across Bangladesh, another Hindu man died after consuming poison over a debt of 500 Bangladeshi Taka in Dirai upazila of Sunamganj district, local media reported.

The victim, identified as 19-year-old Joy Mohapatra, died on Friday morning while undergoing treatment at M A G Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet.

Citing the deceased’s cousin, Ayan Das, Bangladeshi Bengali media outlet Sylhet View 24 reported that Joy had purchased a mobile phone for 5,500 Taka from grocery shopkeeper Amirul Islam. He paid 2,000 Taka in cash and agreed to pay the balance in weekly installments of 500 Taka. Although he made the payments regularly, the final installment was delayed.

It is alleged that Joy went to Amirul Islam’s shop Thursday to pay the installment but was beaten up, humiliated and had his mobile phone seized.

Ayan said that Joy admitted to consuming poison on Thursday evening. He was rushed to the Dirai Upazila Health Complex, and when his condition deteriorated, the on-duty doctor referred him to Sylhet.

Moni Rani Talukder, resident Medical Officer of Dirai Upazila Health Complex, said, “I was on duty at the time. As the patient’s condition was critical, he was immediately referred to Sylhet.”

Recalling the tragic incident, Joy’s mother, Shelly Mohapatra, was quoted as saying by Sylhet View 24, “When they asked for money from him in the morning and did not get it, they took my son’s mobile phone away. Later, when he asked for the SIM, they asked him to come in the evening. When he went in the evening, they slapped my son. My son consumed poison at that shop.”

Confirming the incident, Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dirai Police Station, was quoted as saying by Sylhet View 24: “We have received information and inspected the scene. Legal action will be taken if we receive a complaint.”

This marks the eighth incident in 22 days and the fourth incident this week, highlighting a disturbing surge in violence targeting Hindu communities throughout Bangladesh.

Earlier on Tuesday, another Hindu man, 25-year-old Mithun Sarkar, died after jumping into a canal in a bid to save his life from a mob that accused him of robbery in Mohadevpur upazila of Naogaon district, Bangladesh’s Bengali newspaper Daily Manobkantha reported.

On Monday, two Hindu men were killed in separate incidents within 24 hours in Bangladesh.

The first victim, identified as 40-year-old Sarat Chakraborty Mani, was fatally attacked in Narsingdi district on Monday night, in Dhaka, with sharp weapons allegedly by an extremist armed religious group.

In the second incident, a Hindu businessman, 38-year-old Rana Pratap Bairagi, was shot dead in public in Monirampur Upazila of Jashore district.

Earlier, on January 3, another Hindu man, Khokon Chandra Das, died after being brutally attacked by a mob of miscreants in Damudya Upazila of Shariatpur district.

Last week, 40-year-old Bajendra Biswas was shot dead by a colleague in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh district.

On December 24 last year, Bangladeshi media reported the killing of another Hindu youth, identified as 29-year-old Amrit Mondal, who was allegedly lynched by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union in Bangladesh.

Also on December 18 last year, a 25-year-old Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, was brutally killed in a mob lynching incident over false blasphemy accusations by a Muslim coworker at his factory in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh.

The mob killed Das and then hung his body from a tree before setting it on fire.

Expressing deep concerns over the disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, across Bangladesh, India on Friday said that it continues to monitor the situation in the neighbouring country and hopes that such acts of communal violence are addressed decisively.

IANS