Hindu Mechanic Burned to Death in Narsingdi, Suspected Arson Sparks Minority Safety Concerns
In Narsingdi town, Bangladesh, 23-year-old Hindu mechanic Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik was fatally burned on January 23 when miscreants allegedly set fire to the car repair workshop where he was sleeping. The incident has reignited concerns over Bangladesh’s law-and-order situation under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
Police and eyewitnesses reported that the fire was intentionally started from outside the garage shutter at Khana Bari Mosque Market, near the Police Lines. With petrol and engine oil stored inside, the fire quickly engulfed the workshop, trapping Chanchal. CCTV footage reportedly captures individuals igniting the blaze before fleeing the scene.
Chanchal, the sole earner for his family from Barura Upazila in Cumilla district, died instantly from severe burns. Locals and colleagues have dismissed claims that the fire was accidental, labeling it a premeditated killing and calling for immediate arrests and justice.
This attack is part of a troubling pattern of recent assaults on Hindu individuals, including incidents in Shariatpur and Mymensingh, raising fears within minority communities. Human rights groups say these events reflect a broader trend of violence against minorities and have criticized the interim government’s response to security concerns.
Since Bangladesh’s political transition in August 2024, rights organizations and international observers have warned of escalating political and communal violence. Although the interim government maintains that most cases are criminal rather than communal, critics argue that such statements underestimate minority vulnerabilities.
Authorities said CCTV footage has been reviewed and multiple investigation teams are working on the case, but no arrests have been made so far. The killing has left Narsingdi in mourning and intensified scrutiny of the nation’s deteriorating law-and-order situation.
