In yet another incident of deadly attack on minorities in Bangladesh, a 23-year-old Hindu garage worker was burned to death early on Saturday while sleeping at his workplace in Narsingdi, near Dhaka, in what police believe may be a premeditated act of murder. The incident has intensified concerns over the safety of minority Hindus in Bangladesh ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.
The deceased has been identified as Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik, a resident of Lakshmipur village in Comilla district. He was employed at a garage located in the Khanabari Mosque Market area under the Narsingdi Police Lines.
According to police sources, the incident occurred in the wee hours of Saturday after Chanchal had finished his work and fallen asleep inside the garage. Unidentified assailants allegedly set the garage on fire. Due to the presence of flammable materials such as petrol and engine oil, the fire spread rapidly. Chanchal reportedly died of suffocation and burn injuries while asleep.
Local residents and eyewitnesses have claimed that the fire was a deliberate act. CCTV footage from nearby cameras reportedly shows several individuals setting the garage ablaze. However, no arrests have been made so far.
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The killing comes amid a series of violent incidents involving members of the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh. A Delhi-based rights organisation, the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), has claimed that at least 15 minority Hindus were killed in Bangladesh between December 1, 2025, and January 15, 2026. In a report released last week, the group alleged that the victims were murdered by individuals belonging to the country’s majority community, averaging one killing every three days.
According to Bangladesh’s 2022 census, around 13.1 million Hindus live in the country, constituting approximately 7.95 percent of the total population.
India has expressed concern over the safety of minority Hindus in Bangladesh, particularly following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Reports of attacks, arson, and targeted killings have contributed to growing fear within the minority community.
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