Tragic Attack Fuels Tensions: Hindu Businessman Assaulted and Set Ablaze in Bangladesh

Khokon Chandra Das, a Hindu businessman in Bangladesh, faced a brutal attack near Damudya in Shariatpur district. Assailants intercepted his autorickshaw, hacked him, and set him on fire. He jumped into a pond to extinguish the flames. He was later moved to Dhaka due to severe injuries.

A Hindu businessman has faced a horrifying attack in Bangladesh, police disclosed on Thursday. Khokon Chandra Das, 50, was ruthlessly assaulted near Keurbhanga Bazar in Shariatpur's Damudya district as he returned home Wednesday night after closing his shop, according to Bengali daily Prothom Alo.

The report detailed that Das, who operates a medicine shop and mobile banking service, was ambushed by assailants who halted his autorickshaw, subjected him to a brutal beating, hacked him with sharp implements, and drenched him in petrol before igniting the flames. In a desperate bid for survival, Das plunged into a nearby pond, leading locals to sound an alarm.

Following this grisly incident, Das was swiftly transferred from Shariatpur Sadar Hospital to Dhaka due to the severity of his injuries, including multiple wounds and burns. Police have identified two suspects, Rabbi and Sohag, as efforts to apprehend them and others linked to the crime continue. This incident follows recent attacks on Hindu individuals over alleged blasphemy and extortion.

(With inputs from agencies.)