Bangladesh: Seven arrested over lynching of Hindu youth in Mymensingh

Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 20 (ANI): Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested seven people in connection with the lynching of a Hindu youth in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, stated in an X post.

ময়মনসিংহ হিন্দু যুবককে পিটিয়ে হত্যার ঘটনায় গ্রেফতার ৭

ময়মনসিংহ, ২০ ডিসেম্বর ২০২৫: ময়মনসিংহের ভালুকায় সনাতন ধর্মাবলম্বী যুবক দিপু চন্দ্র দাসকে (২৭) পিটিয়ে হত্যার ঘটনায় সাত ব্যক্তিকে সন্দেহভাজন হিসেবে গ্রেফতার করেছে র‍্যাপিড অ‍্যাকশন ব্যাটালিয়ন (র‍্যাব)

গ্রেফতারকৃতরা…

— Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) December 20, 2025

The arrested suspects are Md. Limon Sarkar (19), Md. Tarek Hossain (19), Md. Manik Mia (20), Ershad Ali (39), Nijum Uddin (20), Alamgir Hossain (38), and Md. Miraj Hossain Akon (46).
RAB-14 carried out operations at different locations and arrested the suspects. .
The victim, Dipu Chandra Das (27), a garment worker and follower of Sanatan Dharma, was beaten to death on December 18 in Bhaluka area of Mymensingh district. According to police, the killing was allegedly triggered by accusations of blasphemy.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, the country's largest minority organisation, strongly condemned the murder, describing it as a brutal act that threatens communal harmony.
"Yesterday (18 December) around 9:00 pm in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, a group of miscreants brutally beat to death a garment worker named Dipu Chandra Das on allegations of so-called blasphemy. They then hung his body from a tree and set it on fire, provoking actions that undermine communal harmony," the council said in a statement.
"The Council has strongly condemned and protested this heinous incident and has demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and the assurance of exemplary punishment," it added.
The interim government also condemned the lynching in strong terms.
"We wholeheartedly condemn the lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh. There is no space for such violence in new Bangladesh. The perpetrators of this heinous crimine will not be spared," the government said in a separate statement.
The condemnation came as the interim administration issued its first detailed response to the wider unrest that has followed the killing of political activist Sharif Osman bin Hadi earlier this month.
In a broader appeal, the government said it "strongly and unequivocally" condemns all forms of violence, intimidation, arson and destruction of property, warning that such actions could derail Bangladesh's democratic transition.
"We strongly and unequivocally condemn all acts of violence, intimidation, arson, and destruction of properties," the statement said.
"This is a critical moment in our country's history. We cannot and must not allow it to be derailed by those few who thrive on chaos and reject peace," it added.
Referring to the political roadmap ahead, the government said the upcoming elections and referendum are "not merely political exercises, but a solemn national commitment."
"This promise is inseparable from the dream for which Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi gave his life. Honouring his sacrifice demands restraint, responsibility, and a firm commitment to reject hatred," the statement said.
"To the journalists of The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and New Age: we stand with you. We are deeply sorry for the terror and violence you have endured. The nation has witnessed your courage and tolerance in the face of terror. Attacks on journalists are attacks on truth itself. We promise you full justice," it said. (ANI)