The situation for minorities in Bangladesh is worsening amid rising political instability, with extremists increasingly targeting the Hindu community. On Saturday, a young Hindu man was brutally assaulted and forced to ingest poison, leading to his death. Family members of the victim have described the incident as a premeditated attack. Within the past 24 hours, two Hindus have been killed in similar violent attacks, triggering widespread alarm and fear across affected areas. Families allege that these assaults are part of a deliberate campaign targeting minority communities, with incidents escalating in the first week of January 2026.
Local media reports indicate that the victim was going about his daily activities when a group of assailants surrounded him. They initially launched a violent assault, inflicting serious injuries, and then forced poison into his mouth, ensuring his death. He succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital, highlighting the extreme brutality of the attack.
Bangladesh 🇧🇩 : Hindu boy (Joy Mohapatro) died after he was tortured & forced fed poison by
" Amirul Islam " .
Location 📍 Dirai , Sunamganj . pic.twitter.com/YvZREInnCW— 🇧🇩🕉️News (@SanataniHinduBD) January 10, 2026
The victim’s family expressed profound grief and outrage. “This was not a random act of violence. My husband was killed as part of a planned attack against our community,” the victim’s wife said, adding that authorities were attempting to downplay the incident as a routine crime. The family claimed that religious hatred was the underlying motive and expressed little confidence in receiving justice.
Communal tensions have risen sharply in Bangladesh over recent weeks, with attacks on Hindu homes, businesses, and temples becoming increasingly frequent. Since the rise of religiously motivated violence, at least six Hindus have lost their lives in separate attacks, including Deepu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, Khokon Chandra Das in Shariatpur, and Amrit Mandal and Bajendra Biswas in other areas. Families of the victims allege that these attacks are strategically carried out by extremist groups exploiting gaps in governance.
Authorities and human rights organizations are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the urgent need for government intervention to ensure the safety of minority communities. Civil society groups have called for immediate security measures, thorough investigations, and swift legal action against perpetrators to prevent further targeted violence and restore public confidence.