Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu garment factory worker was beaten to death and set on fire by a mob in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district on December 18, 2025, after being accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam. Dipu Chandra Das, a resident of Mukamiakanda village in Tarakanda Upazila, was employed at Pioneer Knit Composite Factory when the incident occurred during a World Arabic Language Day event.
The Incident at Bhaluka Factory
The lynching took place around 9:00 PM in the Dubalia Para area of Square Masterbari in Bhaluka upazila after allegations spread rapidly within the factory and surrounding neighborhoods. Witnesses reported that the mob attacked Das while chanting Islamic slogans, and after killing him, dragged his body to a nearby bus stand where they tied it to a tree and set it ablaze. Videos circulating on social media captured the violent assault, showing the crowd’s participation in the brutal act.
Bangladesh Police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) later stated they found no evidence to substantiate the blasphemy allegations against Das. Mymensingh RAB Company Commander Md. Samsuzzaman confirmed to BBC Bangla that no witnesses could personally verify any religious defamation, suggesting the incident may have stemmed from workplace disputes over production targets, overtime, and working conditions. Investigators revealed that Das had recently been involved in a conflict with a co-worker regarding work-related issues and promotion, and that the factory’s floor manager forced him to resign before handing him over to the agitated mob.
Government Response and Arrests on Dipu Chandra Das
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, condemned the killing and announced that seven individuals were initially arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion in connection with the lynching. By December 22, authorities had detained a total of 12 people, including two of Das’s co-workers, with a Mymensingh court granting a three-day remand for the arrested individuals.
The interim government issued a strongly-worded statement declaring, “We deeply condemn the incident in Mymensingh where a Hindu man was beaten to death. There is no place for such violence in the new Bangladesh. No one involved in this brutal crime will be spared”. Adviser of Religious Affairs AFM Khalid Hossain also denounced the violence, declaring that “the government will not tolerate such violence”.
Context of Violence Against Minorities
The lynching of Dipu Chandra Das occurred during a period of heightened unrest in Bangladesh following an attack on student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who died on December 18, 2025, from gunshot wounds sustained during an assassination attempt. Since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, Bangladesh has witnessed increased violence against the Hindu minority community, which constitutes approximately 7.95% of the country’s 165 million population according to the 2022 national census.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs noted that more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities, including killings, arson, and land grabbing, have been recorded during the tenure of Bangladesh’s interim government. These incidents have prompted diplomatic tensions, with India temporarily halting visa operations at its Chittagong mission following an attempt by protesters to breach the compound.
International Condemnation and Protests
Amnesty International expressed deep concern over the brutal killing, urging the interim government to take immediate and effective action to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. India’s Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan condemned the incident, stating that the “pattern of targeting Hindus is cruel and clear”. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi urged the Indian government to raise the issue of minority safety with Bangladesh authorities, while Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described the incident as “unbearably tragic”.
Maulana Mahmood Madani, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, stated that the lynching was shameful and completely against the principles of Islam. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and Hefazat-e-Islam Joint Secretary General Maulana Azizul Haq Islamabad both issued statements condemning the killing.
Protests erupted across multiple cities in India, including demonstrations outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi. Members of Sarbo Bharatiya Hindi Bangali Sangathan, VHP, and Bajrang Dal gathered outside the Bangladeshi High Commission, while protests were also held outside the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, Tripura.
Blasphemy Laws in Bangladesh
Bangladesh maintains blasphemy provisions under Section 295A of the Penal Code, which criminalizes deliberate or malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, with violations resulting in imprisonment and fines. Section 298 of the Penal Code further punishes those who deliberately wound religious feelings through words, gestures, or objects, with imprisonment up to one year. The 2018 Digital Security Act extends these controls to technology and social media, with individuals facing up to 10 years in jail for digital content deemed to “offend religious sentiments”.
Domestic Protests and Demands for Justice for Dipu Chandra Das
Students at the University of Dhaka held a protest and human chain on December 20, raising slogans such as “We want justice” and “Justice for Deepu”. Dhaka University Central Students’ Union Literature and Cultural Secretary Musaddiq Ali Ibne Mohammad demanded the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of those involved and called for the resignation of the Law Adviser and Home Adviser for failing to maintain law and order.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, the country’s largest minority organization, condemned the murder of Dipu Chandra Das and demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible. The Communist Party of Bangladesh described the killing as reflecting “a loss of humanity and rational thinking in society” and pointed to a grave social and psychological breakdown.
