Witness recounts harrowing details of Hindu man Dipu Das' killing in Bangladesh: 'Were behaving like demons'

The testimony offers a disturbing glimpse into the violence faced by minorities amid rising attacks | Image: Dipu Das (L)

• Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das killed in Bangladesh amid rising attacks
• Witnesses say false blasphemy claims and jealousy fueled the mob violence
• Hindu community faces ongoing fear and attacks despite official reassurances.

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A horrifying account of the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu man in Bangladesh, has emerged through a witness who spoke to NDTV under strict anonymity, his face concealed due to fears for his safety. The testimony offers a disturbing glimpse into the violence faced by minorities amid rising attacks and what many describe as a lack of decisive action by the Muhammad Yunus-led caretaker administration.

According to the witness cited in the report, who worked alongside Dipu Das, the violence was fuelled not only by religious hatred but also by resentment. He alleged that Dipu Das, a father to a young girl, became a target because of jealousy over his diligence at work. The witness reportedly said false allegations of blasphemy were deliberately spread by individuals who failed to secure jobs and sought revenge.

Recounting the sequence of events, the witness told NDTV, “First, Dipu da was called to the HR office. They forced him to resign. There were outsiders along with factory workers. He was handed over to them. After that the mob took him out of the factory gate and gave him to the public.”

What followed, he said, was an assault carried out in full public view. “The people who were waiting outside thrashed him brutally. They hit him on the face, chest. They use several sticks to thrash him brutally. He was bleeding a lot. All this happened just outside the gate of the factory,” the witness has been quoted to say.

The violence did not end there. The witness described how the mob dragged Dipu Das’ body for a long distance before committing further acts of brutality. “After some time they dragged the body for at least 1 km and hung it from a tree. They set it ablaze too. The body fell to the ground. The mob was full of Muslim people. We were there but we couldn't say a single word,” he said.

Asked why no one intervened, the witness explained that fear overpowered any attempt to help. Some people, he said, initially tried to step in but withdrew, terrified of being attacked themselves. Summing up the scene, he told NDTV, “They were behaving like demons.”

Authorities later stated that there was no proof to support the allegation that Dipu Das had committed blasphemy. However, residents of the village where he lived said his death has reinforced a climate of fear. Many feel that in the current situation, Hindus are being forced to suppress their aspirations or risk violent consequences.

According to a local Hindu community leader cited in the report, the murder has left an enduring sense of terror within the community.

Similar concerns were echoed by members of the Hindu community in Dhaka. According to NDTV,  one resident said, “They said they are attacking us because we are Hindus, not because we support the Bangladesh Awami League. First of all we don't support anyone, whether Awami League or any other group.”

Another added that claims made to the outside world are misleading. “The Islamists are lying to the outside world that they are going after Awami League supporters and it's purely political. But that's a smokescreen to run their campaign against minorities in this country,” he reportedly said.

While officials associated with chief adviser Muhammad Yunus insist minorities are being safeguarded, accounts from across Bangladesh suggest that attacks on Hindus by Islamist groups continue with alarming frequency.