What is the ‘Jizya’ tax that was cited before a Hindu man’s killing in Bangladesh

What is the ‘Jizya’ tax that was cited before a Hindu man’s killing in Bangladesh

• Sarat Chakraborty Mani died after assault in Narsingdi, Bangladesh in Jan 2026
• Victim threatened and extorted with "jizya," sparking safety worries.
• Police probe religious targeting; community demands protection.

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The victim was 40 year old Sarat Chakraborty Mani, who ran a small shop in the Narsingdi district near Dhaka. He was assaulted in early January 2026 and later died from his injuries. People close to him told local media that he had been under pressure for some time, with men allegedly demanding money and warning him that his wife would be taken if he went to the police.

The word they used, jizya, has a long and complicated history. Centuries ago, in some Islamic empires, it referred to a special tax paid by non Muslims who lived under Muslim rule. It was not like today’s income tax or sales tax. Instead, it was a fixed charge paid by adult men who were not Muslims. In return, they were not required to serve in the army and were supposed to receive protection from the state. How much people paid, and how strictly it was collected, depended on the place and the period.

In those times, jizya was often mentioned alongside zakat, a separate tax that Muslims themselves were expected to pay. Many groups, including women, children, the elderly and the very poor, were usually exempt.

None of this has any legal standing in today’s Bangladesh. There is no law that allows anyone to collect such a tax, and any demand for money using that name would simply be extortion. Local rights activists and community leaders have said the threats described by Mani’s family point to fear and intimidation, not to any real or lawful obligation.

The fact that this old term has appeared in connection with a modern crime has unsettled many people. Historians say jizya belongs to the past, and using it today in threats or demands has no legal meaning at all.

For many in the Hindu community in Bangladesh, the case has reopened worries about safety and discrimination, and has renewed calls for stronger protection and justice for minorities.

Police have said the investigation is still ongoing and that several people are being questioned in connection with both the threats and the attack. No final conclusions have been announced yet, but officers say they are looking closely at whether the victim may have been targeted because of his religious identity. Community leaders have asked the authorities to act quickly and openly, saying that uncertainty only makes people more anxious. For many families in the area, this case is about more than one man’s death. It has become a test of whether ordinary people can go about their lives and run their small businesses without living in fear.