Another Brutal Case of Hindu Lynching in Bangladesh Exposes Minority Vulnerability
- Mahamunimodi Team
- Aug 19
- 4 min read
Bangladesh has once again witnessed a gruesome case of mob violence targeting its Hindu minority. On the night of Saturday, August 9, 2025, two unarmed Hindu men were brutally lynched by a frenzied Muslim mob in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district. The victims were falsely accused of theft, a rumor that quickly escalated into deadly vigilantism.
The incident, which has shocked the nation and drawn international condemnation, has resulted in police suspensions, arrests, and outrage from human rights groups, yet it underscores a deeper and persistent crisis of minority insecurity in Bangladesh.
Victims Targeted Under False Accusations
The victims were identified as Ruplal Das (40), a cobbler from Ghanirampur village, and his relative Pradeep Das (35) from Baluabata village. The two men were returning home after visiting relatives to finalize the wedding date of Ruplal’s daughter. Around 9 p.m. at Burirhat Bottola, they were suddenly surrounded by an angry mob.
Disturbing videos widely shared on social media captured the men begging for their lives. One of them pleaded desperately:
“I am not a thief or a dacoit; I am a cobbler who mends shoes in Taraganj Bazaar.”
But their words fell on deaf ears. The mob beat them mercilessly until they collapsed. Ruplal was declared dead at Taraganj Upazila Health Complex, while Pradeep succumbed to his injuries later at Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Police Inaction and Suspensions
Initial reports suggest that the lynching began after two local van-pullers were found unconscious nearby, sparking unfounded rumors that the Hindu men had drugged them to steal a vehicle. Instead of verifying facts, mob hysteria dictated the outcome.
Witnesses confirmed that at least one bystander attempted to stop the assault and urged others to call the police. Yet, law enforcement present in the area failed to intervene.
In the aftermath, eight police personnel, including Sub-Inspectors Abu Zobayer and Shafiqul Islam, were suspended for negligence. Six constables were also dismissed from duty. A new officer, Inspector Rafiqul Islam, has since been assigned to lead the investigation. Authorities have also formed a formal inquiry committee to probe the killings and the dereliction of duty by officers on the scene.
Legal Proceedings and Community Response
On the following day, Ruplal’s widow, Bharati (Varoti) Rani, lodged a murder case at Taraganj Police Station, naming approximately 700 unidentified people as accused. Based on video evidence, four suspects — all Muslim men, identified as Aktarul Islam (45), Ebadat Hossain (27), Rafiqul Islam (33), and Mizanur Rahman (22) — were arrested and later remanded by a Rangpur court for police interrogation.
Anger and grief quickly spilled onto the streets. Enraged locals blocked the Rangpur–Dinajpur highway in protest, demanding justice. The blockade ended only after district officials assured the community that those responsible would be punished.
Rights Groups Condemn the Lynchings
Bangladesh’s leading human rights organization, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), denounced the killings as an outrageous violation of both constitutional protections and international human rights standards. ASK emphasized that mob killings are part of a broader crisis, noting that hundreds of people have died in mob violence between January 1 and August 10, 2025. The organization demanded swift justice, accountability for instigators, and support for the victims’ families.
A Pattern of Targeted Violence Against Hindus
This atrocity is not an isolated case. It reflects a systemic pattern of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, where mob justice — often fueled by rumors or fabricated blasphemy allegations — has become alarmingly common.
Tangail, April 5, 2025: Hindu jeweller Akhil Chandra Mondal was stripped, beaten, and paraded half-naked by a mob for allegedly insulting Islam. Shockingly, instead of punishing the attackers, police arrested the victim himself.
Barishal, June 30, 2025: Saikat Biswas, a Hindu man, was beaten by a crowd after being accused of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad. Again, he was arrested without proper investigation.
Lalmonirhat, June 2025: A father and son, Paresh Chandra Shil and Bishnu Chandra Shil, were severely beaten over baseless blasphemy allegations.
Dinajpur, June 2025: Sohag Das (24) faced death threats and demands for execution from Islamic groups after a Facebook post went viral.
According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, there were 2,442 documented hate crimes against minorities between August 2024 and June 2025. Activists argue that the state’s inability — and sometimes unwillingness — to protect Hindus emboldens extremists, leaving minority communities vulnerable and fearful.
State Complicity or Institutional Failure?
What makes these cases even more disturbing is the consistent role of police inaction or complicity. In many instances, Hindu victims are detained immediately, while perpetrators are left unpunished or only arrested after public outcry. Officers often excuse their inaction by claiming they were “outnumbered” by mobs.
Such patterns reflect not just law enforcement weakness, but a deeper reluctance by the Bangladeshi state to confront Islamic extremism. For Hindu communities, this reality translates into a constant climate of fear, where even false rumors can cost lives.
Conclusion
The lynching of Ruplal and Pradeep Das in Rangpur is more than just another shocking headline — it is a chilling reminder of the precarious existence faced by Hindus in Bangladesh. The pattern of rumor-driven mob violence, police negligence, and lack of accountability highlights a systemic crisis that demands urgent reform.
Unless authorities take serious, uncompromising action against both vigilantes and complicit law enforcement, Bangladesh’s Hindu minority will continue to remain a persecuted community, vulnerable to the deadly whims of mob justice.
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