7 bullets, one chilling message: Journalist's killing is proof why 'protection money' is meaningless for Hindus in Bangladesh

The murder of Hindu businessman and journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi in Bangladesh’s Jessore district, despite paying protection money, has intensified fear among minorities facing extortion, targeted violence, and a shrinking sense of safety and dignity.

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The killing of Hindu businessman and journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi in Bangladesh’s Jessore district has exposed a climate of fear, extortion, and targeted violence gripping minority communities, even for those who complied with demands for “protection money,” reports Times of India.

Bairagi, 37, was shot dead near his ice factory in Arua village of Keshabpur upazila after allegedly paying radical Islamist groups for months to ensure his safety. Assailants fired seven bullets at him on Monday, killing him on the spot.

Despite having paid nearly three lakh taka to avoid harm, Bairagi was not spared. His family says the murder has shattered any remaining sense of security for Hindus in the area.

A relative described the mood among minorities as one of absolute despair, saying they feel like “sitting ducks” who fear they “may not live to see the next day”.

A targeted killing despite compliance

Bairagi was a familiar figure in Arua village, home to more than 100 Hindu households. He ran an ice-making factory, worked as a journalist, and was politically active. Locals say he often raised issues affecting minorities with authorities, making him a visible and inconvenient voice in an increasingly hostile environment.

Relatives believe this visibility may have sealed his fate.

They pointed to his association with the Awami League, led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in exile. According to the family, conditions for minorities deteriorated sharply after Hasina was removed from power in August last year.

A family member said Bairagi was called near his factory shortly before the attack. The shooters wasted no time. He was killed instantly.

The family fears that the attackers may later claim he wrote controversial articles, but insists the real objective was far more direct. They believe he was eliminated because he was a Hindu leader who refused to be silenced.

The message, they say, was unmistakable. If someone like Bairagi could be killed in broad daylight, others would think twice before speaking out.

Two killings in one day deepen panic

The fear intensified within hours of Bairagi’s murder. Another Hindu man, Mani Chakraborty, was lynched the same day in a separate incident, triggering panic across minority settlements in the region.

According to reports cited by News18, Chakraborty had earlier told friends that he was being pressured to pay a religious levy, described as jizya, and was threatened with dire consequences if he refused. His friend alleged that Chakraborty was warned his wife could be abducted if the demands were not met.

The back-to-back deaths have left Hindu families convinced that they are being systematically targeted.

Extortion, jizya, and armed intimidation

Villagers told reporters that gangs of armed fundamentalists regularly visit Hindu homes to demand money in exchange for protection. These groups are widely believed to be linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, although locals say the extortionists are often outsiders who arrive monthly and disappear after collecting cash.

Most victims are too frightened to lodge complaints.

Several villagers admitted they pay what is openly referred to as a “protection tax,” even though they are unsure which group ultimately controls the racket.

Recent reports have highlighted that, in some cases, the demands are framed as jizya, a historical tax imposed on non-Muslims under certain Islamic rulers in exchange for protection. As explained by Moneycontrol, jizya has no constitutional or legal standing in modern Bangladesh, but its invocation reflects the growing confidence of extremist groups operating with impunity.

One acquaintance of Bairagi said workers linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party had promised protection without demanding money. Even so, the fear has not subsided.

He said he plans to apply for an Indian visa, sell his land, and move to West Bengal to live with relatives, believing that staying back could cost him his life.

For many Hindu families in Jessore and nearby areas, Bairagi’s killing has confirmed what they already feared. Paying up offers no guarantee of survival. Silence offers no safety. And the space to live with dignity in Bangladesh is shrinking fast.