Hindu businessman shot dead in Bangladesh

Dhaka: A Hindu businessman, who was also the acting editor of a newspaper, was fatally shot in the head by unidentified men Monday in Jessore district of Bangladesh, according to local media reports.

The deceased has been identified as 38-year-old Rana Pratap Bairagi, a resident of Arua village in Keshabpur upazila of Jessore in Khulna Division, Bangla-language daily Prothom Alo reported.

Bairagi, who owned an ice-making factory in Kopaliya Bazar in Monirampur, was also the acting editor of a newspaper called ‘Dainik BD Khabar’ published from Narail, the daily reported.

The incident occurred around 5:45 pm at Kapalia Bazaar Monday, Additional Police Superintendent Abul Basar was quoted as saying by the bdnews24 news portal.

Citing locals and the police, Prothom Alo said that three miscreants on a motorcycle called him from the ice factory and took him to the alley in front of Kapalia Clinic and Diagnostic Centre on the west side of Kapalia Bazar.

The miscreants then shot him in the head from close range and fled. He died on the spot, the daily said.

“Bairagi was shot three times in the head, and his throat was slit,” Monirampur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Rajiullah Khan was quoted as saying by the daily.

Khan also said that the reason for his murder is not known.

An investigation has been launched to find out who or what committed the murder.

Police said that there are four cases registered against the deceased in two police stations. However, details of these cases were not known.

The shooting marks the latest in a spate of violent incidents against the Hindu community members.

On January 3, Khokon Chandra Das (50) died after he was brutally attacked, hacked and set on fire.

On December 24, another Hindu man, Amrit Mondal, was lynched over alleged extortion in Rajbari town’s Pangsha upazila.

On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das (25) was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh city.

Unidentified men set on fire Qatar expatriate workers Shukh Shil and Anil Shil’s home in the Raojan area on the outskirts of Chattogram on December 23, but the residents managed to come out of the building unharmed.