DHAKA/NARSINGDI – The wave of violence against minorities in Bangladesh has claimed another life. Sarat Chakraborty Mani, a 40-year-old Hindu grocery shop owner, was brutally murdered by unidentified assailants on Monday night in Narsingdi, on the outskirts of the capital.
The incident occurred just hours after the targeted killing of Hindu journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi in Jessore, signaling a terrifying escalation in ethnic violence. Sarat is survived by his wife, Antara Mukherjee, and their 12-year-old son, Abhik.
The Attack: A “Simple Man” With No Enemies
Sarat, a former expatriate worker who had returned from South Korea a few years ago to settle in his homeland, was at his shop in Charsindur Bazaar when the attack occurred.
- The Incident: Assailants armed with sharp weapons stormed his shop at night, inflicting critical injuries. While local residents rushed him to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries en route.
- A Haunting Premonition: On December 19, visibly distressed by the rising unrest, Sarat had posted a haunting message on Facebook: “So much fire, so much violence in the valley of death… my homeland.”
- Neighbors’ Account: Friends and family described Sarat as a “calm and humane” person who had no disputes with anyone. One neighbor remarked to the Weekly Blitz, “There could be just one reason for the murder… that he was a Hindu.”
Allegations of ‘Jizya’ and State Apathy
Prominent social activist Bappaditya Basu has raised grave allegations regarding the motive behind the killing. According to Basu, Sarat had been targeted by extremists just 48 hours before his death.
“Extremist Islamists had demanded a large sum of money from Sarat, calling it ‘Jizya’ (a historical tax on non-Muslims). They threatened that if he went to the police, they would kidnap his wife. They even mocked him, saying even if Narendra Modi came, he couldn’t stop them.” — Bappaditya Basu
Basu further accused the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government of presiding over “ethnic cleansing,” alleging that these killings are part of a systematic plan to purge Hindus from the country.
A Pattern of Violence (Last 24 Hours)
| Victim | Profession | Location | Cause of Death |
| Rana Pratap Bairagi | Journalist/Businessman | Jessore | Shot dead by unidentified gunmen. |
| Sarat Chakraborty | Grocery Shop Owner | Narsingdi | Attacked with sharp weapons. |
| Khokon Chandra Das | Businessman | Chittagong (Recent) | Stabbed, robbed, and set on fire. |
Diplomatic Fallout: India on High Alert
The double murder of a journalist and a shop owner in a single day has intensified the diplomatic standoff between New Delhi and Dhaka. This latest killing comes as the BCCI and BCB remain locked in a dispute over the T20 World Cup, with Indian leaders like Shashi Tharoor warning that sporting ties cannot remain unaffected by such “delicate moments” of humanitarian crisis.