Dhaka: The dead body of a Hindu man was found floating inside a drum near a sluice gate in the Begunbari area of Mymensingh district, raising concerns over the safety of minority communities in Bangladesh.
The deceased was identified as 50-year-old Niranjan Chandra Sutradhar, who ran a jointly owned jewellery shop in the Atharbari Building area of Mymensingh.
Police Probe Murder, Motive Yet to Be Established
Police have not yet determined who killed Niranjan or the motive behind the crime. No arrests had been made as of Friday.
According to Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Shibirul Islam, the victim had injury marks caused by a sharp weapon on his head and chest. Police suspect that Niranjan was killed before his body was placed inside a drum and thrown into the water.
Token Helps Police Identify Victim
Police recovered a token issued by the Mymensingh Hindu Cooperative Credit Union Limited from the victim’s trouser pocket. After contacting the organisation, police were able to establish the identity of the deceased.
Niranjan’s wife, Sumita Rani Sutradhar, and son, Joy Sutradhar, later identified the body.
Police said the body was recovered on Wednesday morning after local residents spotted a drum floating in the water near the sluice gate in Begunbari and alerted the authorities.
Incident Raises Fresh Concerns Over Minority Safety
The incident comes amid continuing concerns and allegations regarding attacks on Hindu and other minority communities in Bangladesh.
Earlier this month, the Awami League alleged that incidents including attacks on temples, arson targeting homes, land grabbing and violence against women were again being witnessed in Bangladesh in 2026, comparing them with its allegations about the 2001–2006 BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance government.
The party also cited the reported killing of retired Hindu teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and his family in Rangpur and alleged that the response of the BNP government reflected a broader pattern of persecution of religious minorities.
These broader political allegations are disputed and should not be treated as established findings. The Mymensingh case itself remains under police investigation, with the identity of the attacker or attackers and the motive yet to be established.