India on December 25 strongly condemned the mob lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) voicing serious concern over what it said was continuing hostility towards minority communities in the neighbouring country.
Responding to the incident, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was deeply disturbed by the killing and emphasised the need to hold those responsible accountable. “The continuing hostility towards minorities in Bangladesh is a matter of grave concern. We strongly condemn the killing of a Hindu youth and expect the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” he said.
The MEA said India has repeatedly raised the issue of attacks on minorities and dismissed what it described as a false narrative surrounding such incidents. Referring to developments under Bangladesh’s interim government, the ministry cited multiple reports of violence against minority communities. “We have issued statements earlier as well, rejecting misleading claims made in this regard,” the MEA said.
The condemnation came amid reports of two separate lynching incidents involving Hindu men earlier this month, fuelling renewed concerns over minority safety and the overall law and order situation in Bangladesh.
In a related incident reported days after the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, another man was beaten to death by a mob in Rajbari district’s Pangsha upazila on Wednesday night over an alleged extortion attempt, according to police, as reported by The Daily Star.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (Pangsha Circle) Debrata Sarkar said the incident occurred around 11 pm at Hosendanga village under Kalimoha union. The victim was identified as Amrit Mondal, also known as Samrat, a resident of the same village.
Police said Samrat was rescued in critical condition after officers rushed to the spot but was declared dead at the Pangsha Upazila Health Complex around 2 am. One of his associates, Mohammad Selim, was arrested at the scene, and police recovered a pistol and a one-shot gun from his possession.
Samrat’s body was later sent to the Rajbari Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem. Police also said that at least two cases, including a murder case, had been registered against him at Pangsha Police Station.
According to local residents, Samrat allegedly led a criminal gang involved in extortion and other illegal activities. He had reportedly returned to Bangladesh recently after staying in hiding in India and was accused of demanding extortion money from a local resident, Shahidul Islam. When villagers raised an alarm, locals gathered and assaulted him, while his associates managed to flee.
The developments have coincided with heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh, with New Delhi summoning the Bangladesh High Commissioner for the second time in a week over recent incidents.
The summons followed protests in Bangladesh after the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi and the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in separate incidents. Dipu Das was killed in Mymensingh district, triggering widespread outrage and renewed concerns over minority security.
Following the killing, Bangladesh’s Education Adviser CR Abrar visited Dipu Das’s family on behalf of the interim government, offered condolences and assured support. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus also condemned the incidents, stating there was no place for communal hatred or mob violence in what it described as a “New Bangladesh”, and promised strict action against those responsible.
The incidents have taken place amid broader unrest in Bangladesh following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, which sparked protests, vandalism and attacks on political and diplomatic establishments in several parts of the country.