DHAKA, Bangladesh — A Hindu man was shot dead in central Bangladesh in what local media described as another violent incident amid a series of recent attacks targeting minority communities.
The victim was identified as 40-year-old Bajendra Biswas, an Ansar member who was killed by a colleague at a garment factory in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district on Monday evening. Police said the accused, fellow Ansar member Noman Mia, has been arrested.
According to police and local accounts, the shooting occurred at Sultana Sweaters Limited in the Mehrabari area, where multiple Ansar personnel were deployed for security duties. Bajendra Biswas was struck in the thigh by a shotgun blast and later died after being taken to the Upazila Health Complex, doctors said.
An Ansar official who witnessed the incident told investigators that there was no visible argument before the shooting. He said Noman Mia suddenly pointed the weapon at Biswas, asked if he should shoot, and then fired before fleeing the scene.
Mymensingh district police confirmed that a search operation was launched early Tuesday, leading to the suspect’s arrest. Authorities said an investigation is underway to determine the motive, and the victim’s body has been sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.
The killing is the third reported death of a Hindu individual in less than a week and the second such incident in the Mymensingh region.
On December 24, local media reported that a 29-year-old Hindu man, Amrit Mondal, was allegedly lynched by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union. Days earlier, on December 18, a 25-year-old Hindu factory worker, Dipu Chandra Das, was killed in a mob attack following false blasphemy allegations. His body was later burned, according to reports.
Bangladesh has seen a rise in violence against minority communities in recent weeks, drawing criticism from rights groups and international observers. India last week expressed serious concern over what it described as continuing hostility toward minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, and said it was closely monitoring developments. (Source: IANS)
