Hindu businessman hacked to death in Bangladesh days ahead of National Elections

The brutal killing of a Hindu businessman named Sushen Chandra Sarkar in Bangladesh has raised serious concerns over minority safety just days before the country heads to national parliamentary elections. The incident, reported on the night of February 9, has added to growing unease amid a charged political atmosphere and reports of rising violence against minorities.

The 62-year-old victim was a rice trader and resident of Dakshinkanda village in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district. He owned a business named Bhai Bhai Enterprise located at the Bogar Bazar intersection. According to police, unknown assailants attacked Sarkar around 11 pm, hacking him with a sharp weapon inside his shop before pulling down the shutters and fleeing the scene.

Family members later found him lying in a pool of blood while searching for him. He was rushed to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police said the attackers also looted several lakh taka from the shop after the murder.

Family Demands Justice

Sarkar’s son, Sujan Sarkar, said the family had no known disputes or enemies. “We have been running this rice business for a long time. The criminals killed my father and looted a large sum of money,” he said. The body was in the hospital morgue for postmortem examination, and legal procedures are underway.

Rising Concerns Over Minority Safety

The killing comes amid reports of increasing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh since August 2024. Human rights groups have warned of intensified attacks, including murders, arson, temple vandalism, and land seizures, as the country approaches elections.

As Bangladesh prepares to vote, the killing underscores deepening fears over law and order and the safety of minority communities during a critical political moment.