Another Hindu man, a grocery shop owner, was reportedly killed after being attacked with sharp weapons in Narsingdi, on the outskirts of Bangladesh's Dhaka, on Monday night.
Abdullah Al Faruque, Police Super (SP) of Narsingdi, confirmed the incident to news agency ANI. "Mani Chakraborty, a resident of Palash upazila in Narsingdi district, was on his way home from his business after 9 pm on Monday night when assailants stabbed him right in front of his house," he stated.
Faruque said that police have not been able to ascertain the reason behind the murder, adding that they are trying to catch the suspects.
Sarat's death comes on the same day as that of Hindu journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jessore district in the Khulna division.
According to local media reports, Sarat was at his grocery shop as usual in the Charsindur Bazaar in Palash Upazila area of Narsingdi when unidentified assailants suddenly attacked him with sharp weapons and critically injured him. Though local residents rushed him to a hospital, Sarat succumbed to his injuries on the way.
ALSO READ | Who was Rana Pratap Bairagi, Hindu businessman and journalist shot dead in Bangladesh?
Sarat is survived by his wife, Antara Mukherjee, and his 12-year-old son, Abhik Chakraborty. The deceased had reportedly been employed in South Korea before returning to Bangladesh a few years ago.
{{/usCountry}}Sarat is survived by his wife, Antara Mukherjee, and his 12-year-old son, Abhik Chakraborty. The deceased had reportedly been employed in South Korea before returning to Bangladesh a few years ago.
{{/usCountry}}A family member of the deceased reportedly said that Sarat led a very simple life and had no disputes with anyone. He had recently expressed concern over the ongoing situation in Bangladesh. In a Facebook post on December 19, he wrote in Bangla: "So much fire, so much violence in the valley of death...my homeland."
Sarat Chakraborty Mani was an extremely calm, humane, and socially responsible person, one of his neighbours said, adding that he had no enemies. According to the neighbour, there could be just one reason for the murder of a person like Sarat, "that he was a Hindu", a local media report said.
Prominent social activist Bappaditya Basu condemned Sarat's killing and said that "before the blood of one Hindu in Bangladesh has even dried, another Hindu is being killed". He was referring to the killing of journalist Rana Pratap, who was murdered just hours before Sarat.
ALSO READ | Stabbed, robbed, then set on fire: Inside Bangladeshi Hindu man Khokon Chandra Das's murder
Basu warned that if this continues, "there will be no existence of Hindus left in Bangladesh within a few years". He further accused the Mohammad Yunus-led government of backing the killings of Hindus, saying that being a Hindu itself becomes a major reason to be killed in a country where "genocide or ethnic cleansing of Hindus is being carried out under a clear state plan".
According to Basu, extremist Islamists had reportedly demanded a large sum of money from Sarat just two days before his murder. They had allegedly said that if he wanted to live in Bangladesh, he would have to pay jizya.
They threatened him and said that if he filed any complaint with the police, they would kidnap his wife, Basu was cited as saying in a report by Blitz. The social activist further stated that the extremists also said, "Give the money quietly. Don't make a fuss about it. Even if your India or your Narendra Modi comes, they won't be able to stop the collection of jizya".
Basu claimed that the same extremist Islamists murdered Sarat Chakraborty Mani.
However, no official statement from the police or any law enforcement authorities has been released yet.