Amid the ongoing persecution of the Hindus, miscreants locked the doors from outside and set fire to two homes belonging to members of the Hindu community in West Sultanpur’s Shilpara area of Rauzan Upazila in Chittagong, prompting police to announce a Tk50,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the perpetrators.
Chittagong Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ahsan Habib Palash made the announcement during a visit to the site on Wednesday, where he inspected the charred remains of the houses and spoke with the affected families.
He also provided Tk100,000 in financial assistance to the two families and urged locals to come forward with accurate information to aid the investigation.
The attack occurred in the deep hours of Monday night at the homes of Dubai expatriate Sukh Shil and day labourer Anil Shil in Ward No. 5 of the municipality. The families escaped with their lives only by cutting through bamboo and tin walls after the doors were barricaded from outside and petrol was poured to ignite the blaze.
A case was filed in the afternoon at Rauzan Police Station by Mithun Shil, son of the victim Anil Shil, naming unknown assailants. On Tuesday morning, a mysterious handwritten banner appeared 200 meters from the burnt houses, blaming the interim government and various political parties for creating instability through arson, further heightening fear in the area.
Yunus-aide Shahidul censured as he blames Sheikh Hasina for burning Dipu Das
After Ayesha, her elder sister succumbs to burns from tragic arson attack
Awami League leader Tofazzel Ronu takes responsibility for family of Dipu Das
Rauzan Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sajedul Islam confirmed that a case has been registered against unknown persons and police are actively working to identify and arrest those involved. “The reward of Tk 50,000 has been announced on behalf of the DIG for credible information,” he added.
This brazen act of locking families inside their homes before setting them alight exemplifies the escalating lawlessness and mobocracy gripping Bangladesh. Such cowardly tactics—trapping innocent people, including women and children, in burning houses—represent a grave assault on humanity and have no place in any society aspiring to democracy and rule of law.
The incident is part of a disturbing pattern of persistent persecution against religious minorities, particularly Hindus, since the political upheaval in 2024. Just days ago, on December 18, a young Hindu garment worker, Dipu Chandra Das, 27, was brutally lynched by a mob in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh over unproven allegations of blasphemy. His body was tied to a tree and set on fire, with reports indicating no direct evidence of any offending remarks. Seven suspects have been arrested, but the gruesome killing has amplified fears among minorities amid ongoing unrest.
Yunus’ Mobocracy: Extremists exploit Hadi’s death to stir anti-India sentiment
Dipu Chandra Das committed no blasphemy, concludes RAB
Human rights groups and minority organisations have documented thousands of attacks on Hindus and other minorities in recent years, including arson, vandalism of temples, land grabs, and killings, often with impunity. This surge in communal violence underscores a dangerous breakdown in law and order, where extremist elements exploit political vacuums to target vulnerable communities.
All political leaders, civil society, and the interim authorities must unequivocally condemn such barbarism and mob rule. Swift justice, protection for minorities, and restoration of order are imperative to halt Bangladesh’s slide into chaos and prevent further tragedies. The nation cannot afford to let vengeance and extremism erode its foundational values of tolerance and security for all citizens.
Bengali 
English