Bangladesh: Hindu man jumps into canal to escape mob, dies

Mob violence against minority communities in Bangladesh has intensified again with the death of a 25-year-old Hindu man , highlighting a sharp rise in mob killings and communal attacks across the country in recent weeks.

The victim, Mithun Sarkar, died after jumping into a canal while trying to escape a mob that accused him of theft in Naogaon district of northwestern Bangladesh earlier this week. According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), Sarkar was chased by a group of people and drowned while attempting to flee.

Minority organisations say Sarkar’s death is part of an alarming pattern of mob justice and targeted violence that has gained momentum as Bangladesh moves closer to parliamentary elections. They warn that communal attacks are increasingly being used as a tool of intimidation.

In a statement, the BHBCUC said persecution of minority communities has “alarmingly increased and continued” in recent months. The organisation claimed that the surge in violence is aimed at creating fear among minority voters and preventing them from exercising their right to vote freely.

Sarkar’s death adds to a growing list of Hindu men killed in violent incidents across the country. Media reports and minority rights groups say at least five to six Hindus have been killed in mob attacks or targeted violence in less than three weeks, though activists caution that the actual number could be higher.

The BHBCUC said it recorded 51 incidents of communal violence in December 2025 alone. These included 10 murders, along with cases of rape, theft, robbery, arson, land grabbing and attacks on homes, temples and business establishments belonging to minorities. The organisation said details of four of the reported murders were still being verified.

The council also reported that in recent days a Hindu widow was raped, a Hindu jewellery shop was looted and a Hindu deputy commissioner in Kurigram district was intimidated while performing her duties as an election returning officer. It further said standing paddy crops belonging to a Hindu farmer were set on fire in Laxmipur earlier this month.

Minority groups say fear and anxiety have gripped Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities across Bangladesh, particularly ahead of the national elections. They say many families are apprehensive about their safety and their ability to cast votes without obstruction.

Human rights observers have warned that mob justice and vigilantism are spreading amid weak enforcement of law and order and rising political tensions. They have urged the authorities to act decisively to prevent further attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.

As the death toll continues to rise, the killing of Mithun Sarkar has renewed focus on the worsening security situation for Hindus in Bangladesh and raised serious concerns about the growing normalisation of mob violence in the country.