Now questions are being raised about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh after another Hindu shopkeeper, Sarat Chakraborty Mani, was brutally killed near Dhaka. He was attacked and murdered in Narsingdi district, becoming the sixth Hindu to be killed in just 18 days amid growing unrest in the country. This horrific incident, which came soon after the killing of Rana Pratap Bairagi, has once again highlighted the rising fear among minority communities in Bangladesh.
Who Was Sarat Chakraborty Mani?
Sarat Chakraborty Mani was a 40-year-old grocery trader. He belonged to Sadharchar Union in Shibpur Upazila and was the son of Madan Thakur. Acquaintances described him as a quiet, honest, and well-known businessman with no known disputes.
He had earlier worked in South Korea and returned to Bangladesh a few years ago. After coming back, he built a house in Brahmandi area of Narsingdi town, where he lived with his wife Antara Mukherjee and his 12-year-old son, Abhik Chakraborty. Family members said Mani lived a simple life and had no personal enemies with anyone.
What Happened with Sarat Chakraborty Mani in Narsingdi?
Sarat Chakraborty Mani was running his grocery shop on Monday night at Charsindur Bazar in Palash Upazila, located on the outskirts of Dhaka. According to local residents, unidentified attackers suddenly assaulted him while he was attending to customers.
Witnesses said the attackers used sharp weapons and escaped quickly. Locals rushed Mani to a nearby hospital, but he died either on the way or soon after reaching there because of his serious injuries.
The killing took place in a busy market area, which has increased fear among Hindu traders and residents, who are now expressing their fear and feeling unsafe even during performing their normal daily activities.
Sarat Chakraborty Mani Last Facebook Post Showed Fear
Before his death, Sarat Chakraborty Mani had expressed worry about the growing violence in Bangladesh. On December 19, he wrote on Facebook, “So much fire everywhere, so much violence. My birthplace has turned into a valley of death…”
Family members said he was deeply disturbed by what was happening in the country.
Jizya Threats Alleged Before the Killing
In an interview with CNN-News18, Bappaditya Basu, Assistant Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and a family friend, made serious allegations.
He claimed Mani was threatened and asked to pay Jizya tax before he was killed. “He was told to pay Jizya, and he was threatened that if the police were informed, his wife would be kidnapped. Yesterday, he was killed,” Basu alleged.
Basu also said Mani had no political links, “Sarat was a very normal man. He had no political agenda. He was just running his grocery shop to earn a living,” he said.
What is Jizya tax?
The Jizya tax was a historical per capita levy on non-Muslim adult males (like Jews, Christians, Hindus) living in Islamic states, in exchange for protection, exemption from military service, and permission to practice their faith as protected people (dhimmi).
Today, there is no legal or constitutional provision for Jizya in Bangladesh, and any demand for it is illegal.
Another Hindu Rana Pratap Bairagi Killed on the Same Day
Mani’s killing happened on the same day another Hindu was murdered in Bangladesh. In Manirampur, Jessore, journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi (38) was shot and had his throat slit. Locals alleged that extremist elements were behind that attack.
Bangladesh Police Investigation Underway
So far, no arrests have been announced in the Narsingdi killing. Police say investigations are ongoing. The repeated killings of Hindus within a short time have caused widespread fear, with minority communities worried about their safety and future in Bangladesh.
