A Hindu auto-rickshaw driver, Samir Das, was beaten and stabbed to death in Bangladesh, and his vehicle was stolen. The killing is part of a wider pattern of rising violence against religious minorities, linked to political unrest.
A 28-year-old Hindu auto-rickshaw driver, Samir Das, was brutally beaten and stabbed to death in Bangladesh, in an attack that has intensified concerns about rising violence against religious minorities in the country.
The horrifying incident occurred on the evening of January 11, 2026, in Daganbhuiyan, a locality in the Chittagong district, where Samir was reportedly surrounded and assaulted by a group of attackers.
According to local media reports, the assailants not only beat and stabbed Samir Das to death but also stole his battery-operated autorickshaw before fleeing the scene. Samir, who was the eldest son of Kartik Kumar Das and Rina Rani Das, was found with severe injuries, prompting outrage among residents and fellow auto drivers.
Related Articles
Police have indicated that the attack appeared to be premeditated, noting that the use of crude weapons and the manner in which the vehicle was seized suggest a planned assault. Authorities are said to have launched operations to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, and Samir’s family is preparing to file an official complaint (FIR) as investigations continue.
This tragic killing comes amid a broader pattern of violence against Hindu minorities and other vulnerable groups in Bangladesh. Local and international media have documented a number of attacks on Hindu individuals in recent weeks and months, linked in part to unrest following mass protests after the death of a prominent student leader abroad and heightened tensions ahead of the upcoming national elections.
Rights organisations, including the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, have condemned the surge in attacks, warning that minorities feel increasingly unsafe and vulnerable. These incidents have sparked fears that communal violence and mob justice are becoming more prevalent, raising serious questions about law and order and minority protection in the country.
The Samir Das case has drawn criticism from politicians and public figures in neighbouring countries, with calls for thorough investigations and justice for the victim. The broader situation highlights ongoing challenges facing religious minorities in Bangladesh at a time of political volatility and social tension.
