With the cold and deadly killing of Rana Pratap Bairagi, a 38-year-old Hindu businessman and journalist from Bangladesh, the security situation for minorities in Bangladesh is at a turning point. It took place on Monday evening in Monirampur upazila, Jessore district, resulting in shockwaves throughout village life.
The Brutal Execution
Local police and eyewitnesses reported that the attack was highly orchestrated. Rana Pratap, a business owner of an ice-making factory in Kopaliya Bazar, acting editor of newspaper Dainik BD Khabar, was at his business place at about 5:45 PM. Three hoodlums arrived on a motorcycle and lured him out of his factory onto an alley near the Kapalia Clinic and Diagnostic Centre.
The assailants killed him at close range by shooting him three times in the head and then, according to reports, slit his throat and fled as soon as he arrived in the desolate area. Rana Pratap died on the spot. Second Death in 24 Hours. This murder follows the death of Khokon Chandra Das, who died from injuries on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Khokon was attacked head-on by a mob on New Year’s Eve in 2026 in Shariatpur district, where he was hacked with sharp weapons and then set on fire after the crowd doused him with petrol. His death, soon at the heels of Rana Pratap's killing, underscores a ghastly 24-hour interval of targeted violence on the community. A Spate of Violence: 5 deaths in 3 weeks. According to human rights groups and the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, the attacks have been systemic and their nature has raised alarm and concern.
Five Hindu men have been killed in different districts in the past 21 days:
- Dipu Chandra Das (25): Lynched by a mob and his body set on fire for false blasphemy allegations in Mymensingh.
- Amrit Mondal: Lynched in Rajbari town over alleged extortion disputes.
- Bajendra Biswas: A security worker shot dead in another incident.
- Khokon Chandra Das: Burned alive in Shariatpur.
- Rana Pratap Bairagi: Shot and throat slit in Jessore.
Climate of Fear and Political Halt
The violence arrives as Bangladesh struggles with extreme political turmoil and protests within the country. Minority leaders said extremist right-wing groups are using the unrest as an impetus to intimidate and push out the Hindu population. The Bangladesh police has launched an investigation into the shooting in Jessore. Bangladesh police say they have also mentioned that Rana Pratap had previously had cases registered against him that he may have had in conflict with previous cases relating to internal feuds. Community leaders, however, categorically reject these allegations as an effort to distract attention away from the direct pattern of community targeting.
