A Hindu shop owner was beaten to death in Bangladesh’s Gazipur district while trying to protect his teenage employee during an assault, police said on Saturday. The incident has triggered anger in the local community and renewed concerns over attacks on religious minorities in the country.
The victim, 55-year-old Liton Chandra Ghosh, also known as Kali, owned a sweetshop named Baishakhi Sweetmeat and Hotel on Baranagar Road. According to police and eyewitnesses, the violence began around 11 am when 28-year-old Masum Mia entered the shop and got into a verbal argument with a 17-year-old employee, Ananta Das, over a minor issue. The dispute quickly escalated into a physical fight.
Shortly afterward, Masum Mia’s parents Mohammad Swapan Mia, 55, and Majeda Khatun, 45 arrived at the shop and allegedly joined the assault. Liton Ghosh intervened in an attempt to protect his employee and calm the situation. During the attack, he was struck on the head with a shovel and collapsed. He died on the spot due to the severe head injury.
Local residents rushed to the scene, detained the three accused, and handed them over to the police. Kaliganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Zakir Hossain confirmed that Masum Mia and his parents are in custody and said legal proceedings are underway.
The killing comes a day after another Hindu man was crushed to death by an SUV at a petrol pump in Bangladesh while trying to stop a vehicle from leaving without paying for fuel. These back-to-back incidents have intensified fears among minority communities.
Human rights groups have expressed serious concern over what they describe as a growing pattern of attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, as the country approaches elections. India has also said it is closely monitoring the situation and expects decisive action against those responsible for communal violence.
