On Tuesday, March 18, Islamists affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) vandalized the house of a Hindu family in Sylhet city, Bangladesh, and issued death threats against them. The victim, identified as differently-abled Asim Kumar Das, and his family faced a brutal attack by local BNP leader Jasmine Begum and her brothers Raihan Mia, Kawasar, and Kamal Ahmed. The assailants pelted stones and bricks at the house, shattering glass panes.
When Asim Kumar Das’ parents intervened, they were assaulted with sticks and pipes. The BNP leader along with associates forcefully entered the premises and continued act of vandalism. They also issued death threats against the elderly parents of Asim Kumar Das, who were left traumatized by the violence.
Following the attack, the Hindu family lodged a formal complaint with local authorities. However, Officer-in-Charge Syed Anisur Rahman downplayed the incident, labeling it as a ‘road space’ dispute and claiming that the situation was under control.
Local leaders of the Sylhet Metropolitan Puja Udjapan Parishad and the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council visited the victim’s house to express solidarity. Reports indicate that this was not the first such attack. BNP leader Jasmine Begum had targeted Asim Kumar Das’ residence on three previous occasions.
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The Islamists initially encroached two feet of land from the property under the pretext of road expansion. Later, they demanded an additional five feet, which the Hindu family refused to give up. Enraged by the refusal, the BNP-affiliated attackers resorted to violence and issued threats. This incident highlights the growing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. Ever since the forceful ouster of democratically elected Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina on the 5th August of 2024, the spree of violent attacks and religious persecution of Hindus continues. The Bangladeshi Hindu community has faced the worst of the genocide ever since the partition took place with Bangladeshi Hindu community population getting reduced to less than 8 percent.
