The killing of 27-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das during recent violent protests in Bangladesh has further strained ties between Dhaka and Delhi.
Das, a member of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, was accused of blasphemy and beaten to death by a mob in Mymensingh, hours before unrest erupted over the murder of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in Dhaka.
Tensions between Bangladesh and India have risen after the lynching of Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das, accused of blasphemy. Videos of his beating, tying to a tree, and burning sparked outrage in India, leading to protests outside Bangladesh’s mission in Delhi and attacks on the Indian assistant high commission in Chittagong.
Hadi’s supporters allege the main suspect, linked to the Awami League, fled to India, though police say this is unconfirmed. Rising tensions have led both countries to suspend visa services and summon each other’s high commissioners.
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, condemned the killing of Dipu Chandra Das and arrested 12 people. Analysts warn minorities face growing threats, with radical Islamists reportedly desecrating shrines, attacking Hindus, restricting women’s sports, and curbing cultural events. Former PM Sheikh Hasina accused the government of targeting non-Muslims, while homes have been set ablaze with threats.
Bangladesh, home to 13.13 million Hindus (8% of the population), according to the census 2022, has seen rising atrocities since Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, has seen rising atrocities since Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, including forced conversions and communal violence. India condemned Das’s killing, citing over 2,900 incidents against minorities under Yunus’s government, and called for inclusive February 2026 elections, rejecting claims that Hadi’s alleged killers fled to India.
Hindu men death adds tension after lynching
Days after Dipu Chandra Das’s lynching in Mymensingh, another Hindu man, Amrit Mandal alias Samrat (29), was beaten to death in Rajbari’s Pangsha upazila on charges of extortion. Mandal, a listed criminal with multiple cases including murder, led a gang called "Samrat Bahini."
After fleeing to India, he returned and attempted to extort money from a house, but when he failed to find the owner, he assaulted the owner's son. Locals, suspecting robbery, lynched him. Authorities confirmed Mandal’s criminal background, emphasising the incident was not communal.
In a separate incident, Hindu worker Bajendra Biswas, 28, was shot and killed while on duty at a garment factory in Mymensingh. Fellow Ansar member Noman Mia shot him with a shotgun, who has been arrested.
Hindu homes, temples targeted
A report by the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) documented at least 71 blasphemy-related incidents targeting Hindus across more than 30 districts between June and December 2025, including Rangpur, Chandpur, Chattogram, Dinajpur, Khulna, and Sylhet. The cases, ranging from arrests and mob assaults to damage to homes and temples, expulsions from schools, and deaths, highlight systemic vulnerability of minorities rather than isolated episodes.
Many incidents stemmed from disputed or fabricated social media posts, often escalating into mob violence before investigations were completed. Universities and colleges emerged as flashpoints, with students facing suspensions or police remand. In some cases, violence continued even after arrests, raising questions over state protection. Minors and economically vulnerable individuals were disproportionately affected.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed deep concern over the violence, calling it “unremitting hostility” against minorities and demanding accountability. The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, however, rejected India’s claims, describing the incidents, including the killings of Das and Amrit Mandal, as isolated and accusing India of selective bias.
Worldwide outrage over attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh
Protests have erupted in India and abroad over violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, with BJP, Congress, and Bollywood celebrities speaking out.
The US State Department condemned the lynching of 27-year-old Hindu worker Dipu Chandra Das as “horrific,” while Congressman Ro Khanna called it “vile hatred and bigotry.” The UN also expressed concern over the alarming violence.
In London, members of the Indian and Bangladeshi Hindu communities staged a large protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission, demanding action against ongoing attacks on religious minorities. Led by Bengali Hindu Adarsha Sangha (BHAS) UK, demonstrators played Bangladesh’s national anthem, Amar Shonar Bangla, and chanted slogans such as “Hindu Lives Matter” while reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. Digital vans displayed data and facts about alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. The protest, which aimed to show solidarity with persecuted minorities, was later disrupted by Khalistani activists waving flags and shouting anti-India slogans.
