Bangladesh News: A Hindu rice trader, Sushen Chandra Sarkar (62), was brutally murdered inside his shop in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district on the night of February 9, 2026, just three days before the country’s national parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12. The killing has triggered widespread concern over minority safety amid an already tense political climate.
Brutal Attack Inside the Shop
According to police, Sarkar was attacked around 11 pm at his rice business, Bhai Bhai Enterprise, located in Bogar Bazar under Trishal upazila. Assailants allegedly stabbed him multiple times with sharp weapons before locking the shop’s shutter from outside and fleeing the scene. Investigators believe cash may have been stolen during the attack.
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Family members discovered Sarkar’s body the next morning, lying in a pool of blood.
Protests and Fear Among Local Traders
Following the murder, local traders shut down shops in Bogar Bazar as a mark of protest and mourning. Members of the Hindu community expressed fear and anger, stating that the incident has heightened anxiety among minorities already feeling vulnerable ahead of the elections.
Investigation and Possible Motives
Police officials, led by Trishal police station chief Muhammad Firoz Hossain, said investigations are ongoing. Authorities are examining multiple angles, including robbery, personal enmity, and communal motivation. Forensic teams have collected evidence from the scene, though no arrests have been reported so far.
Rising Communal Violence Concerns
Bangladesh News: The killing comes amid reports of over 2,000 incidents of violence targeting religious minorities since August 2024, following political upheaval and the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Rights groups have repeatedly warned of deteriorating security conditions for minorities.
Under interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the government has not issued a specific statement on Sarkar’s murder, drawing criticism from opposition figures and rights activists. The incident echoes a December 2025 murder of another Hindu man in the same district, which required intervention by elite security forces.
