A chilling eyewitness account has emerged in the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment worker who was brutally lynched by a mob in Bangladesh, shedding light on the sequence of events that culminated in his violent death.
Speaking to the media with his face covered due to security concerns, a co-worker of Dipu Das narrated how the victim was isolated, handed over to a mob, and assaulted in full public view, as fear prevented others from intervening. The witness said the attack has left the local Hindu community traumatised and fearful.
Recounting the events, the witness said Dipu Das was first summoned to the human resources office at the factory where he was employed. According to him, the atmosphere was hostile and premeditated.
“First, Dipu da was called to the HR office. They forced him to resign. There were outsiders along with factory workers. He was handed over to them,” the witness said. “After that, the mob took him out of the factory gate and gave him to the public.”
The witness alleged that false rumours accusing Dipu Das of blasphemy had been deliberately spread by individuals who were resentful after failing to secure jobs at the factory. He claimed that Dipu Das was targeted not only for his religious identity but also due to workplace jealousy.
What followed, the witness said, was a savage and prolonged assault just outside the factory premises.
“The people who were waiting outside thrashed him brutally. They hit him on the face and chest. They used several sticks to beat him. He was bleeding a lot. All this happened just outside the gate of the factory,” he said.
According to the testimony, the violence continued unchecked as the mob grew larger, while factory workers and bystanders stood by in fear.
The witness further alleged that the mob dragged Dipu Das’ body for nearly a kilometre after he was beaten unconscious.
“After some time, they dragged the body for at least one kilometre and hung it from a tree. They set it on fire too. The body fell to the ground,” he said.
He added that the crowd largely comprised Muslim men and that those present who might have intervened were paralysed by fear. “We were there, but we couldn’t say a single word,” he said.
When asked why no one stepped in to stop the violence, the witness said that those who attempted to intervene feared they would also be attacked. “They were behaving like demons,” he said, describing the mob’s actions.
Bangladeshi authorities later stated that there was no evidence to support the allegation that Dipu Chandra Das had committed blasphemy, the charge that was reportedly used to incite the mob against him.
Despite this clarification, the killing has deepened anxiety among minority communities, particularly Hindus, who say such rumours are increasingly weaponised to justify violence.
Residents of Dipu Das’ native village said the incident has left the local Hindu population shaken. A local Hindu leader who assisted with translation during NDTV’s interaction said the killing has created a lasting climate of fear, with families worried about their safety and future.
Similar concerns were echoed by Hindu residents in Dhaka, who spoke of repeated attacks and growing insecurity. One resident said, “They said they are attacking us because we are Hindus, not because we support the Bangladesh Awami League.”
Another added that claims of purely political targeting were misleading. “The Islamists are lying to the outside world that they are only going after Awami League supporters. That is a smokescreen to continue their campaign against minorities in this country,” the resident said.
While officials associated with Bangladesh’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus have maintained that minorities are being protected, members of the Hindu community say the situation on the ground tells a different story.
