Violence against minorities is escalating in Bangladesh. Another horrific incident has come to light in the country. On Friday night, January 23rd, in Narsingdi, Bangladesh, a 23-year-old Hindu man, Chanchal Bhowmik, was burned alive inside a garage. According to locals and eyewitnesses, Chanchal Bhowmik, who worked in a garage in the Masjid Market area near the Narsingdi Police Lines, was sleeping inside the garage after finishing work, as was his routine. Late at night, an unknown person allegedly locked the garage shutter from the outside, poured petrol, and set the garage on fire with the intention of killing him.
The garage’s CCTV footage reportedly shows flames erupting outside the shutter, which quickly spread inside. Eyewitnesses claim that the accused stood outside the garage for a considerable time to ensure that Chanchal was burned to death before fleeing the scene. When local residents saw the fire, they informed the fire service. Firefighters arrived at the scene and, after about an hour of effort, brought the fire under control. Chanchal Bhowmik’s charred body was then recovered from inside the garage.
Who was Chanchal Bhowmik?
Chanchal Bhowmik was the son of the late Khokan Chandra Bhowmik and Pramita Rani Bhowmik, residents of Lakshmipur village in Comilla district. After his father’s death, he became the sole breadwinner for his family. His family includes his ailing mother, a disabled elder brother, and a younger brother. He had been working at Rubel Mia’s garage for the past six years and was living in Narsingdi for work.
Why was he murdered?
The victim’s family says that Chanchal had no personal enmity or dispute with anyone and describes him as a quiet, honest, and hardworking young man. Local residents and the garage owner also confirmed these details and said that there appeared to be no clear personal motive behind the murder. Several local residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, speculated that religious reasons might be behind the killing, as there have been several such incidents of targeting members of the Hindu community in different parts of Bangladesh. However, authorities have not yet officially confirmed the motive for the murder.
Rising Violence Against Minorities
This incident comes amidst a rising tide of violence against minorities in Bangladesh. The killing is being compared to previous attacks on Hindus in the country. In late December, a 50-year-old businessman, Khokon Das, was attacked and burned alive by a mob in Shariatpur district. Das, who owned a small pharmacy, was stabbed, beaten, doused with petrol, and then set on fire while returning home. This incident followed the murder of Dipu Chandra Das in the country.
