In another incident targeting the Hindu community in Bangladesh, a 45-year-old factory owner and acting newspaper editor, Rana Pratap, was shot in the head and had his throat slit by a group of men.
Local sources reported that Pratap had several cases filed against him. His killing follows recent attacks on Hindus in the country, including the rape of a Hindu widow and the murders of at least three Hindu men since December, drawing criticism of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government’s handling of violence against minorities.
Officials said the attack occurred around 6 pm on January 5 in the Kopalia Bazar area of Manirampur sub-district in Jashore, southwestern Bangladesh. Akhtar Faruk Mintu, chairman of the Manoharpur Union Parishad, stated that Pratap, the son of a schoolteacher from Arua village in nearby Keshabpur, had been running an ice factory in Kopalia Bazar for two years. On the evening of January 5, he was reportedly called out of the factory by several men, led into an alley, and shot.
A local resident, Ripon Hossain, said the attackers arrived on a motorcycle. He recalled that they had an argument with Rana Pratap before firing several rounds at his head and fleeing. Seven bullet casings were found beside Pratap’s body.
Monirampur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Raziullah Khan confirmed that Pratap’s throat had also been slit. “Pratap was shot three times in the head and his throat was slit. After receiving the news, we went to the scene. The body has been recovered and sent to the morgue for an autopsy. We are investigating who was involved,” he said. A local source claimed that Pratap had multiple cases filed against him at various police stations in Jashore. He also served as the acting editor of the daily BD Khobor, published from Narail district.
Series of Incidents
The killing comes amid a string of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. On January 3, a Hindu woman in Jhenaidah district was raped by two men who also demanded money. When she screamed, they tied her to a tree, cut her hair, recorded the act, and circulated the videos on social media. She lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital by local residents.
Earlier, on December 31, Khokon Chandra Das was attacked by a mob that set him on fire. He managed to escape by jumping into a pond, but later died of his injuries. This followed the deaths of Amrit Mondal and Dipu Chandra Das, the latter of whom was lynched, his body hung on a tree, and set ablaze.
The recent rise in violence against minorities has drawn international concern. India has expressed worry over what it called the “unremitting hostility” toward minorities under the Yunus-led government and said it is closely monitoring developments in the region. The Bangladesh government has stated that it is committed to protecting minorities.
