Rights Groups Flag Minority Targeting After Hindu Man Burnt Alive in Bangladesh

By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – According to local media reports on Sunday Narsingdi Police Superintendent Abdullah Al Faruque in Bangladesh said that Hindu man was burned alive in Narsingdi after fresh concerns over the rising violence against Hindu minorities ahead of the elections on February 12.

The police have recovered CCTV footage from the area, which showeda suspect moving around the garage.

The victim has been identified as Chanchal Bhowmik, in his early 20s, local media stated.

According to media reports, Bhowmik was asleep in a garage when the fire broke out.

The local authorities said that they were investigating whether the fire was accidental or the result of any criminal conspiracy, Bhowmik’s family has alleged that it was a premeditated murder.

The incident occurred on Friday night near the Mosque Market area, adjacent to the Narsingdi Police Lines.

Mediareports cited eyewitnesses and sources, claimed that the assailant poured petrol on the garage’s shutter when Bhowmik was asleep and set it on fire.

Narsingdi Police Superintendent Abdullah Al Faruque said “We have collected footage from the CCTV cameras and observed that there is a scene showed a person moving around. We are investigating whether the fire was caused by some external factor or by an electrical fault,” Faruque was quoted as in media.

According to the Police Superintendent, fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and they tried to rescue Bhowmik, but he had already succumbed to his injuries by the time they reached.

“We are still investigating everything, and so far, no one has been arrested,” SP Faruque added.

Bhowmik’s death has raised serious concerns over the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh.

There were at least 8 Hindus have been killed in Bangladesh in less than a month.

The murder of Samir Das, an auto driver was the most recent one who was beaten to death in Daganbhuiyan in Feni district last weekend.

Samir Das’s family claimed that he was beaten to death, even though police claimed it was a “natural death”.

It started with the brutal murder of Deepu Chandra Das, who was lynched to death, and his body was hung from a tree and set on fire last month, widely reported in media.

The incident sparked massive outrage in India, with the Opposition Congress demanded that the government raise the issue with Bangladeshi authorities.

India raised the issue and demanded firm action from Bangladesh to stop the violence against minorities.

Bangladeshi interim government dismissed India’s concerns, called them “exaggerated” and “motivated narratives.”

The intelligence agencies have warned that violence against minorities, Hindus, in Bangladesh is likely to rise ahead of the general elections.

Many parties such as the Jamaat and those who back it are hoping that their radical vote base would consolidate further if minorities are targeted, a report claimed.

The report claimed that at least 116 members of minority communities have been killed between June 6, 2025, and January 5, 2026 cited the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities.