Centre for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights Condemns Lynching of Dipu Chandra Das
Rights Group Flags ‘Systemic Failure’ After Brutal Killing of Hindu Youth Dipu Das
- Centre for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights condemns lynching of Dipu Chandra Das
- Calls incident a grave human rights failure and example of mob impunity in Bangladesh
- Cites sharp rise in violence against Hindus and religious minorities since 2024
- Urges global bodies to end “selective outrage” and demand accountability
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 23rd Dec: The Centre for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights has strongly condemned the brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old Hindu garment factory worker in Bangladesh, calling it a shocking failure of human rights, justice and state protection.
In a statement issued on Monday, the organisation said Dipu Das was lynched on December 18 in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, following unverified allegations of blasphemy. According to initial police reports, a mob of nearly 140–150 people beat him to death, tied his body to a tree and later set it on fire, leaving the charred remains in public view.
The rights group said there is no credible evidence to support claims that Das had hurt religious sentiments, a position also maintained by his family. The incident occurred amid widespread unrest in Bangladesh following the death of political activist Sharif Osman Hadi.
Terming the killing “not an aberration but part of a disturbing pattern”, the organisation highlighted a sharp rise in violence against Hindus and other minorities since the political upheaval of August 2024. Citing documented data, it said Bangladesh recorded around 2,200 incidents of violence against Hindus in 2024, compared to 302 in 2023 and 47 in 2022. These incidents include assaults, threats, mob attacks and desecration of temples.
The statement further noted that minority rights groups have recorded more than 2,400 incidents of violence against religious minorities between August 2024 and July 2025, including murders, sexual violence, looting and targeted attacks on places of worship. It referred to the July 2025 attack on the Gangachara Hindu neighbourhood, where families were forced to flee after homes were vandalised and looted.
Expressing concern over what it termed “selective global outrage”, the organisation pointed out that while international bodies strongly condemned the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, no comparable statements were issued on the lynching of Dipu Das.
“Human rights are universal and indivisible. Silence in the face of such brutality amounts to complicity,” said Dr Prerna Malhotra, President of the Centre for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights.
The organisation called upon governments, international institutions and civil society to unequivocally condemn the killing, demand independent investigations, ensure accountability for perpetrators and enablers, and push for legal reforms to protect minorities from mob violence and misuse of blasphemy allegations in Bangladesh.
