On Friday (15th March), Islamists attacked a Hindu man named Rajiv Kumar Dey for keeping his shop open during the daytime in the month of Ramzan. The incident took place in Sylhet city of Bangladesh.
As per reports, the accused was identified as Sohail Hassan. He is said to be a member of the Chhatra League (the student wing of the Sheikh Hasina-led-Awami League government).
The victim ran a small shop near the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital (SOMCH). Rajiv Kumar Dey was asked to pay chada (money) by Sohail Hassan and his accomplice from the start of Ramzan but he refused to give in to their demands.
The victim continued to run his business but put up a curtain outside his shop for the sake of Roja (fasting observed by Muslims during Ramzan). He said that he wanted to cater to the Hindu patients who visited the nearby hospital during the daytime.
In the evenings, Rajiv Kumar Dey would also sell iftari (food consumed during iftar) to his Muslim customers. On Friday (15th March) afternoon, Sohail Hassan and his accomplice went to the victim’s shop and accused him of hurting religious sentiments during Ramzan.
They also told him that a Hindu man could not sell iftari to Muslims. The Islamists then attacked Rajiv Kumar Dey with a sharp weapon and vandalised his shop.
Hindu restaurant owner Rajeev dey fatally attacked by Jihadi mob for keeping restaurant open in Sylhet during Roza days in Ramadan. pic.twitter.com/kQuPj9FyKD
— Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus 🇧🇩 (@VoiceofHindu71) March 16, 2024
The victim was later admitted to the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital. The brutal attack resulted in 18 stitches on his head. During the unprovoked attack, Sohail and his men also looted the cashbox.
“They broke my cashbox and took money,” the victim lamented. His employee at the shop was also hurt during the attack. On learning about the matter, a police team lead by Officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Moinuddin reached the crime scene. A police case has not been registered so far in connection to the case.
This is however not the first time that a member of the Chhatra League has resorted to persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. In January this year, it came to light that the convenor of the Chhatra League at the Kachua Government Bangabandhu Degree College, Ibrahim Miya, usurped the land of a Hindu family in the Basabaria village of Bangladesh.
