The Crossbill News Desk
The alleged abduction and brutal murder of a prominent Hindu leader in Bangladesh’s Dinajpur district has once again raised serious concerns over the safety of religious minorities under the country’s interim administration.
Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 58, president of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad’s Biral unit and a resident of Basudebpur in Biral Upazila, was reportedly abducted from his home on Thursday afternoon by four unidentified assailants who arrived on two motorcycles.
According to a report in The Daily Star, Roy had received a phone call around 4:30 pm, following which the attackers stormed his residence and forcibly took him away. Eyewitnesses claim he was assaulted in a nearby village, Narabari.
Later that night, around 10 pm, Roy’s bloodied and severely beaten body was delivered back to his home in a van. He was rushed to the Biral Upazila Health Complex and then transferred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
The incident has triggered a wave of condemnation in India, with senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh describing it as “a chilling reminder of the growing sense of insecurity among religious minorities in the region.”
In a statement on social media, Ramesh expressed concern over what he termed as a pattern of intimidation and targeted violence against minority communities in Bangladesh.
“This is not an isolated incident. Over the past months, there have been repeated and deeply disturbing instances of attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh, from desecration of Hindu temples to targeted attack on the homes and businesses of minorities. This pattern of intimidation and brutality cannot be ignored.,” Ramesh wrote on X.
The Congress party has called on the Narendra Modi-led government to engage diplomatically with Bangladesh’s interim leadership and push for a transparent investigation into Roy’s killing.
“The Congress Party urges the Government of India to take up the matter with the highest urgency and prevail upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure a swift, transparent investigation, and bring the culprits to justice,” Ramesh demanded.
“We reiterate our demand that the safety, dignity, and rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh be protected in letter and spirit. Silence and inaction are not options when such targeted violence is allowed to take root. The Indian National Congress stands in solidarity with the Hindu community in Bangladesh and with all those who believe in secularism, justice, and human rights,” Ramesh added.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also issued a strong statement condemning the killing, calling it part of a broader pattern of “systematic persecution” of Hindu minorities under Bangladesh’s interim regime.
“This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity. We condemn this incident and once again remind the interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, including Hindus, without inventing excuses or making distinctions,” the MEA said.
The situation in Bangladesh has remained volatile since the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following a popular uprising in August last year. Since then, an interim government led by Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge.
The initial wave of unrest, which targeted leaders and supporters of the Awami League, has reportedly expanded into communal violence, with members of the Hindu community increasingly under threat.
Observers note that Hindus in Bangladesh have traditionally been supporters of the Awami League, and their vulnerability has grown in the current political climate.
Notably, a senior ISKCON monk remains in custody after his arrest last year, still awaiting bail.
Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 58, president of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad’s Biral unit and a resident of Basudebpur in Biral Upazila, was reportedly abducted from his home on Thursday afternoon by four unidentified assailants who arrived on two motorcycles.
According to a report in The Daily Star, Roy had received a phone call around 4:30 pm, following which the attackers stormed his residence and forcibly took him away. Eyewitnesses claim he was assaulted in a nearby village, Narabari.
Later that night, around 10 pm, Roy’s bloodied and severely beaten body was delivered back to his home in a van. He was rushed to the Biral Upazila Health Complex and then transferred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
The incident has triggered a wave of condemnation in India, with senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh describing it as “a chilling reminder of the growing sense of insecurity among religious minorities in the region.”
In a statement on social media, Ramesh expressed concern over what he termed as a pattern of intimidation and targeted violence against minority communities in Bangladesh.
“This is not an isolated incident. Over the past months, there have been repeated and deeply disturbing instances of attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh, from desecration of Hindu temples to targeted attack on the homes and businesses of minorities. This pattern of intimidation and brutality cannot be ignored.,” Ramesh wrote on X.
The Congress party has called on the Narendra Modi-led government to engage diplomatically with Bangladesh’s interim leadership and push for a transparent investigation into Roy’s killing.
“The Congress Party urges the Government of India to take up the matter with the highest urgency and prevail upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure a swift, transparent investigation, and bring the culprits to justice,” Ramesh demanded.
“We reiterate our demand that the safety, dignity, and rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh be protected in letter and spirit. Silence and inaction are not options when such targeted violence is allowed to take root. The Indian National Congress stands in solidarity with the Hindu community in Bangladesh and with all those who believe in secularism, justice, and human rights,” Ramesh added.
The Indian National Congress strongly condemns the brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent leader of the Hindu community in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. The abduction and assault leading to his tragic death is a chilling reminder of the growing sense of insecurity among…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 19, 2025
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also issued a strong statement condemning the killing, calling it part of a broader pattern of “systematic persecution” of Hindu minorities under Bangladesh’s interim regime.
“This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity. We condemn this incident and once again remind the interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, including Hindus, without inventing excuses or making distinctions,” the MEA said.
The situation in Bangladesh has remained volatile since the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following a popular uprising in August last year. Since then, an interim government led by Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge.
The initial wave of unrest, which targeted leaders and supporters of the Awami League, has reportedly expanded into communal violence, with members of the Hindu community increasingly under threat.
Observers note that Hindus in Bangladesh have traditionally been supporters of the Awami League, and their vulnerability has grown in the current political climate.
Notably, a senior ISKCON monk remains in custody after his arrest last year, still awaiting bail.
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