Hindu Man Set Ablaze By Mob Dies Of Injuries As Bangladesh Teeters Ahead Of Polls

Last Updated:January 03, 2026, 12:58 IST

Khokon Das, a 50-year-old Hindu businessman, was stabbed and set on fire by a mob in Shariatpur, Bangladesh, highlighting rising attacks on minorities.

This image from Blitz’s editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury shows Khokon Das (centre lying in bed) getting treatment following the mob attack in Bangladesh’s Shariatpur. (IMAGE: @salah_shoaib/X)

Bengali Hindu businessman, Khokon Das, 50, died after being attacked and set on fire by a mob in Bangladesh’s Shariatpur district on December 31, local media reported.

Das, a small medicine shop owner, was allegedly stabbed, beaten and doused with petrol before being set ablaze while returning home.

Das had survived the initial attack by jumping into a nearby pond but later succumbed to his injuries after his condition deteriorated. He was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.

His wife said he was attacked after closing his medical shop. “I don’t know who did this. We need justice. My husband is a simple man. He did not harm anyone," she said.

The incident, which took place in Tiloi village under Kanoir union, is among a series of recent attacks targeting minorities in Bangladesh, with this being the fourth such attack on a Hindu reported in the past two weeks.

Earlier, a mob beat garment worker Dipu Chandra Das to death and set his body ablaze after stripping him naked.

The killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December 2025 has plunged Bangladesh into political turmoil, triggering violent protests and a spike in anti-India sentiment ahead of the February 2026 general elections.

Hadi’s death led to attacks on major newspaper offices perceived as pro-India and even assaults near Indian diplomatic missions, prompting India to temporarily close its visa centres in parts of Bangladesh amid safety concerns.

Bangladesh is heading into a highly charged political phase ahead of its national elections scheduled for February 2026, with the country witnessing sustained unrest, street violence and sharp polarisation since early-2025.

Viral Video Sparks Outrage Over Threats to Police, Killing of Hindu Officer

A video circulating on social media has triggered outrage after a Bangladeshi youth leader was seen boasting about the killing of a Hindu police officer and openly threatening law enforcement officials during what he described as the July 2024 uprising.

The video was shared on X by investigative journalist and author Sahidul Hasan Khokon, who identified the speaker as a student coordinator from Habiganj district.

In the clip, the youth is heard threatening the officer-in-charge of a police station, warning that the station would be set on fire. He claims that during the so-called “July movement", protesters had already burned down the Baniachong police station.

The youth then makes a chilling claim, saying, “We burned Hindu officer SI Santosh," referring to the killing of Sub-Inspector Santosh Bhabhu. He appears to make the statement without visible fear or remorse, even as he is seen sitting inside a police station.

News world Hindu Man Set Ablaze By Mob Dies Of Injuries As Bangladesh Teeters Ahead Of Polls

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