The family of Khokon Chandra Das, a Bangladeshi Hindu businessman, has said they are still unable to understand the motive behind the brutal attack on him, as he had no known disputes or enmity with anyone. Das, who suffered nearly 30 percent burn injuries, is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital in Dhaka and remains in critical condition. His family described the attack as sudden, unprovoked, and deeply shocking.
His wife, Seema Das, spoke emotionally about the incident while holding their infant child. She said her husband was attacked just as he was about to enter their home. According to her, a mob intercepted him, poured petrol on his body, and set him on fire without any warning. She stressed that her husband was a peaceful businessman who never had conflicts with anyone and that the family could not understand why he was targeted. Her statement highlighted the trauma the family is enduring as they struggle to make sense of the violence.
Khokon Das narrowly survived the attack after being beaten, stabbed, and set ablaze by the mob. In a desperate attempt to save his life, he jumped into a nearby pond, which helped extinguish the flames but left him with severe burn injuries. Despite his escape, his condition remains serious, and he is under intensive medical care.
Recounting the incident, his sister Anjana Rani Das said the attack occurred around 8:30 pm on Wednesday. She described how a group of people struck him with sticks, doused him with petrol, and set him on fire. She added that he cried out for help and tried to save himself by jumping into water, but the injuries he sustained were extensive and life-threatening.
His nephew, Sourabh Das, said the family rushed to the hospital as soon as they received news of the attack. He added that the police arrived at the scene shortly afterward and initiated an investigation. According to him, Khokon’s face and hands were badly burnt, and doctors have described his condition as extremely serious.
Another nephew, Pranto Das, demanded a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident. He said the family wanted those responsible to be identified and punished. Emphasizing that his uncle had no enemies, Pranto stated that the attackers clearly intended to kill him and that the assault was carried out with extreme brutality. He added that Khokon remains in the intensive care unit and continues to fight for his life.
The attack has intensified fear and anxiety among Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, particularly as it comes amid a series of violent incidents targeting community members. Tensions have been rising following the killing of anti-India youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December, after which protests erupted across the country. These protests have taken on an anti-India tone, with allegations that those responsible for Hadi’s death fled to India, further fuelling unrest.
This incident marks the fourth reported attack on members of the Hindu community in the past two weeks. Just a day earlier, another Hindu man, Bajendra Biswas, was shot dead while on duty as a security guard at a garment factory in Mymensingh. According to local reports, the accused, Noman Mia, allegedly asked Biswas whether he should shoot him before opening fire. Both men were members of the Ansar Bahini, a paramilitary auxiliary force under Bangladesh’s Home Ministry, and were deployed at the same factory when the incident occurred.
Earlier incidents include the lynching of a man named Amrit Mondal over alleged extortion and the killing of factory worker Dipu Chandra Das following accusations of blasphemy. These incidents have drawn widespread criticism and international concern regarding the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh.
India has expressed deep concern over what it described as the “unremitting hostility” faced by minorities in Bangladesh, calling for stronger measures to protect vulnerable communities and ensure accountability for those responsible for such acts of violence.
