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January 07, 2026 – Bangladesh –
Rana Pratap Bairagi, a 38-year-old Hindu businessman and acting editor of Dainik BD Khabar, was fatally shot by unidentified assailants in Jashore district, Bangladesh, on January 5, 2026, in an attack that has intensified concerns about rising violence against religious minorities in the country. Bairagi owned an ice-making factory in Kopalia Bazar and was ambushed by men who reportedly called him out of his workplace before shooting him multiple times in the head. Police recovered bullet casings at the scene, and the motive remains under investigation.
Bairagi’s killing occurred as part of a broader surge in violence targeting Bangladesh’s Hindu community, with at least one other Hindu man, Sarat Chakraborty Mani, murdered within 24 hours in Narsingdi district. Mani, a 40-year-old grocery store owner, was attacked with sharp weapons late Monday and later died of his injuries in the hospital. Both incidents exemplify escalating insecurity for minorities that civil society groups and commentators say is contributing to widespread fear among vulnerable populations.
Local and international news outlets have framed Bairagi’s death—alongside other recent attacks—as part of a pattern of rising hostility toward minorities in Bangladesh, particularly in the run-up to the February 2026 general elections and amid transitional governance following political unrest. These killings have reportedly made six Hindu men victims of violent attacks in just 18 days, with incidents involving shootings, stabbings, and mob violence that have drawn widespread condemnation from rights advocates and minority community leaders.
Police have not publicly confirmed whether the attacks were motivated by communal tensions, criminal disputes, or other factors, and investigations remain ongoing. Authorities in both Jashore and Narsingdi have initiated inquiries and are seeking leads on the unidentified attackers. The violence has prompted protests among Hindu communities and human rights activists calling for enhanced protection for religious minorities and more effective law and order responses from the government.
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