Seven arrested in Bangladesh over lynching of Hindu man accused of blasphemy

Mymensingh, Bangladesh: Bangladesh’s chief adviser said on Saturday that seven people had been arrested in connection with the killing of a Hindu man in Mymensingh, following allegations of blasphemy.

In a statement posted on X, the chief adviser said the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had detained seven suspects over the death of Dipu Chandra Das, 27, a garment factory worker and follower of Sanatan Dharma. Those arrested were identified as Md Limon Sarkar, Md Tarek Hossain, Md Manik Mia, Ershad Ali, Nijum Uddin, Alomgir Hossain and Md Miraj Hossain Akon. He said RAB-14 carried out operations at several locations to make the arrests.

The action comes two days after Das was attacked by a group of people in Bhaluka, in the Mymensingh district, after he was accused of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad. Police later arrived at the scene, dispersed the crowd and recovered his body.

The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, had earlier condemned the killing, describing mob violence as incompatible with the vision of a “New Bangladesh”. In a statement, the government said those responsible would be brought to justice and assured citizens that the law would take its course.

The incident occurred amid a tense political climate in Bangladesh, marked by protests and unrest following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a radical political activist and candidate in the February 12 parliamentary elections. Hadi succumbed to gunshot injuries after an attack last week in Dhaka, where masked assailants opened fire as he launched his election campaign.

Hadi’s post-mortem underway

Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination of pro-democacy leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi is under way at Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka, ahead of his burial later on Saturday.

Police said Hadi’s body was taken to the hospital earlier in the day, where forensic examinations are being carried out under tight security. According to BD News, law enforcement personnel have been deployed in and around the hospital to maintain order.

After the post-mortem is completed, the body will be transferred to the Parliament complex, where funeral prayers are scheduled for the afternoon.

Security has been stepped up across several parts of the capital in anticipation of the funeral, as authorities expect a large gathering of supporters and political activists.

(With ANI inputs)