Hindu petrol pump worker Ripon Saha killed in Bangladesh over unpaid fuel, SUV linked to former BNP leader seized and sparking minority safety concerns.
Police investigate after Hindu petrol pump worker Ripon Saha was killed in Rajbari, Bangladesh, in a dispute over unpaid fuel (Photo: X)
There is one recent incident in the Rajbari district of Bangladesh, which raised concerns about the minoritarian condition. Ripon Saha is a 30 year-old Hindu male and staff member of a Hindu-owned petrol pump, was crushed to death by an SUV, suspected to be owned by a former senior BNP member, in the process of a dispute over fuel bills. This particular incident brought forth an outcry among the region, human rights organizations and the Government of India, who all called for improved minoritarian rights.
Ripon Saha was a 30 year-old staff member of Karim Filling Station in Goalanda Mor of the Rajbari region of Bangladesh. He was performing his assigned tasks on the early Friday morning when tragedy struck him down. According to an eye witness account, Ripon tried to apprehend a car that was trying to leave the station without purchasing any gasoline when he was pushed down by the SUV and killed on the spot. Ripon’s death has brought into focus the insecurity of the Hindu minorities in the country of Bangladesh in areas where inter-communal clashes have been experienced in the past.
Another Hindu youth was ki££ed today in Rajbari, Bangladesh❗
— BANGLADESH CRISIS 🇧🇩 (@BDcrisis) January 16, 2026
BNP leader Abul Hashem ran his car over Filling Station Worker Ripon Shaha (30) while he asked to pay the price of Patrol. Later he died on spot.#BangladeshCrisis pic.twitter.com/vkcAZ1jZvS
The crime occurred at around 4:30 am. The fuel value inside the SUV was roughly around Tk 5,000 approximately Rs. 3,710. The moment Saha attempted to stop the SUV from moving without making the payment, the driver allegedly ran him down and escaped. The local police as well as the eye-witnesses confirm the sequence of the crime, asserting the crime was not performed as a result of unintended actions.
An investigation has uncovered that the SUV was owned by one Abul Hashem, a 55-year-old contractor and past treasurer of BNP’s Rajbari district chapter. Hashem was also the president of the district Jubo Dal, which stands for youth Dal and refers to BNP’s youth-wing politics. The owner, Kamal Hossain is 43 year old has been arrested along with Hashem.
This was confirmed by Khondakar Ziaur Rahman, the head of the Rajbari Sadar Police, who stated that a murder case will be brought against the perpetrators. The SUV is under seize, with the owner and the driver being held in police custody while further investigations are being carried out into why such a brutal act of murder took place.
Ripon Saha’s murder is, however, a pattern of violence targeting Hindus in the country, particularly in Bangladesh. Last December 2025, there were 51 incidents of communal violence recorded by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC). Some recent incidents include:
These incidents underscore growing fears about minority safety in the run-up to Bangladesh’s general elections.
India has strongly condemned the increasing attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, urging Dhaka not to adopt a dismissive policy toward such incidents as mere personal disputes but take decisive measures. Hindus are about 7.95% of the population, roughly 13.13 million people according to the Bangladesh census of 2022. The Indian government also says that any accountability would be important to prevent escalation in order to preserve the protection of minority communities.
