A Hindu businessman was beaten to death in Bangladesh’s Gazipur by three members of a family following a dispute over bananas, local media reported. It has not been confirmed whether the incident that occurred on Saturday (January 17, 2026) in the Kaliganj area of Gazipur district is related to the recent spate of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. The deceased, Liton Chandra Ghosh (55) was the owner of ‘Baishakhi Sweetmeat and Hotel’, The Daily Star reported. 

According to Zakir Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Kaliganj Police Station, three members of a family — Swapan Mia, 55, his wife Majeda Khatun, 45, and their son Masum Mia, 28 — have been detained for their suspected involvement in the killing.  Police stated that Mr. Masum owns a banana plantation, and a bunch of bananas went missing from it. He spotted the bananas in Liton’s hotel while searching, and an argument started between the two parties over this.

“The accused punched and kicked Liton, causing him to fall to the ground and die on the spot,” police said. Liton’s family said Mr. Masum came to the hotel around 11:00 am. At that time, he had an argument with a hotel employee over a trivial incident. Later, Mr. Masum’s father and mother came to the spot and got into a fight. Police are investigating the incident, the report said.

A 40-year-old Hindu man, owner of a grocery shop, has been murdered after unidentified attackers struck him with a sharp weapon in Bangladesh’s Narsingdi city, according to a local media report.

The incident took place on Monday (January 5, 2026) night, hours after a Hindu businessman, who was also the acting editor of a newspaper, was fatally shot in the head by unidentified men in Jessore district of Bangladesh.

Moni Chakraborty was attacked and killed at Charsindhur Bazar in Palash Upazila around 11 p.m. on Monday (January 6, 2026), Bdnews 24 reported.

Palash Police Station chief (OC) Shahed Al Mamun said Moni was the son of Madan Thakur of Sadharchar Union in Shibpur Upazila.

Moni had been running a grocery shop at Charsindhur Bazar for a long time. He is the third Hindu businessman to be killed in recent weeks.

Police and local residents said Moni was returning home after closing his shop on Monday (January 5, 2026) night when unidentified attackers struck him with a sharp, locally-made weapon. He collapsed on the spot, the report added.

The student-led Bangladeshi party born out of the protest movement that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ‍forged an electoral alliance with Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of February’s parliamentary election, ​stirring internal rifts.

Since last year’s uprising, the National ‌Citizen Party (NCP) has cast itself as a centrist, reformist ​alternative to nepotism and two-party dominance, but as the election nears, it is struggling to turn street power into voter support.

NCP chief Nahid Islam said on Sunday (December 28, 2025) the party had decided to enter into the alliance for greater unity, adding that the final list of candidates would be announced on Monday. Other NCP figures have ​described the alliance as a pragmatic step in a fragmented ⁠political landscape.

But the decision to join forces with Jamaat has already prompted internal ructions.

Tasnim Jara, a doctor who left a career in Britain to join the NCP, becoming ​a leader in the ⁠party, resigned on Saturday (December 27) and said she would contest the election as an independent candidate. Several other members have also quit.

The alliance has drawn attention because Jamaat has long faced criticism for ‌opposing Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan and its alleged role in ‌1971 war crimes. Years of trials, leadership bans and political marginalisation have left the party with a limited but ‍loyal support base.

BNP regains momentum

Critics of the NCP’s move said it undermined the party’s founding ideals.

“The moral support I had for the ‍NCP will no longer exist due to this ideological mismatch,” said one university student, asking not to be named.

The partnership comes amid broader political realignments, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) – aligned with ailing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and effectively led by her son, acting chair Tarique Rahman – regaining momentum following Rahman’s return after nearly 17 years in exile.

The February 12 election will be held under an interim administration headed ⁠by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who took charge after Hasina’s ouster and is seen as crucial to restoring political ​stability after nearly two years of turmoil.

A December survey by the ⁠U.S.-based International Republican Institute showed the NCP in a distant third place with 6% support, behind the BNP at 30% and Jamaat on 26%.

The alliance might shift voting trends but could hurt the NCP’s long-term bid to become a dominant ⁠force, said Shakil Ahmed, a government and politics professor at Jahangirnagar University.

A young man from West Bengal studying in Bangladesh and also tracing his family roots there said that until recently, it was easy to get accommodation in that country as an Indian but now it was the opposite.

According to Supriyo Saha (name changed on request), the situation in Bangladesh is drastically different from what it was in mid-2024, when an uprising forced the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country, with mobs now replacing protesting citizens, and most mobsters having no idea what they were fighting.

“Back then, people were enjoying the post-uprising scenarios. A large group of Awami League supporters went underground, and the stakeholders of the July [2024] revolution, which included almost every civil citizen, were cherishing the newly acquired freedom of speech. But now, many of those who were on the streets back then are busy with their lives, and their space has been occupied by the mob,” Mr. Saha said.

“I hardly have a proper explanation for the mob. These are pressure groups formed with different political motives. Often individuals inside the mob have very little idea about why and what they are doing as a group or who they are serving. They get motivation from YouTubers, social media pages, and also by money, I guess,” the young Indian, a Hindu, said.

His family in West Bengal, needless to say, is far more worried about him now than they were in the middle of 2024. Until recently, his mother called him just once a day to check on him, but now WhatsApp calls are made almost on an hourly basis.

“My life in Bangladesh is still not as bad because as a Bengali, I don’t stand out. Also, there are still people in this country who have empathy, but I don’t know for how long. Back when I came, about three years ago, I easily got a room on rent because I was an Indian, but now I won’t. Today they have mixed reactions about India — some still see it as a developed country which they can rely on, but many now see it as a hegemonic country. Though face-to-face, I haven’t got a bad reaction,” Mr. Saha said.

When asked why he wasn’t returning to India, he said he wanted to complete his course and also finish his personal project on family roots.

“I remember the first time I went to the place from where my family had migrated. I didn’t know a soul there, but I was received with warmth. What a memorable morning it was. But today I sense tension in the atmosphere. More than my Hindu identity, I feel fear because of my Indian Identity,” Mr. Saha said.

According to him, the situation was getting bad not just because of tension related to religion but also because of mob culture and fake news. “I feel Bangladesh is going through a rough patch. Though they are trying to internally change some things, the situation can get worse without strong governance. Many of their citizens are trying to leave the country,” he said.

Unidentified gunmen on Monday (December 22, 2025) shot in the head Motaleb Shikder, a second leader of Bangladesh’s violent student-led 2004 uprising.

The attack took place in southwestern Khulna city, days after the killing of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

“The Khulna Division head of NCP (National Citizen Party) and central coordinator of the party’s workers front, Motaleb Shikder, was shot a few minutes ago,” NCP’s joint principal coordinator Mahmuda Mitu said in a Facebook post.

Mitu, a doctor, said Shikder was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

The Kaler Kantha newspaper, quoting hospital sources, said Shikder was shot on the left side of his head, and he was bleeding profusely when he was brought to the facility, where the doctors started emergency treatment.

The attack came days after Hadi, a prominent leader of the student-led protests last year that led to the ouster of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was shot in the head on December 12 by masked gunmen at an election campaign in central Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area.

The 32-year-old Inqilab Mancha spokesperson died while undergoing treatment in Singapore on Thursday (December 18). Hadi was a candidate for the scheduled February 12 general elections.

The interim government of Muhammad Yunus staged a nationwide mourning for Hadi’s death on Saturday and said no stone would be left unturned to track down his killers as violence erupted in Dhaka and other major cities afresh over the attack and subsequent death.

Faisal Karim Masud’s parents, wife and a female friend of the prime suspect have been arrested by police, but said they were unsure about his current whereabouts.

After Monday’s (December 22) clandestine attack on Shikder in Khulna city’s Majid Sarani area, police said they were yet at dark about the attack perpetrators or motive but launched an “immediate manhunt” for their arrest.

Local police station chief Animesh Mondal, however, informed reporters that Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) authorities now shifted Shikder to its City Imaging Centre to pinpoint the state of his injury.

As Bangladesh struggles to maintain normalcy after days of violent strife last week following the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Osman Hadi, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has placed the blame for the violence entirely on the Yunus government.

Sheikh Hasina said that the killing of Osman Hadi was a reflection of the lawlessness under the present interim government.

“This tragic killing reflects the lawlessness that uprooted my government and has multiplied under Yunus. Violence has become the norm while the interim government either denies it or is powerless to stop it. Such incidents destabilise Bangladesh internally but also our relationships with neighbours who are watching with justified alarm. India sees the chaos, the persecution of minorities, and the erosion of everything we built together. When you cannot maintain basic order within your borders, your credibility on the international stage collapses. This is the reality of Yunus’ Bangladesh,” she said.

The former Bangladesh PM alleged that the government of Nobel laureate and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has placed people with links to extremist ideologies in power.

“I share this concern, as do the millions of Bangladeshis who are prefer the safe, secular state we once were. Yunus has placed extremists in cabinet positions, released convicted terrorists from prison, and allowed groups linked to international terrorist organisations to take roles in public life. He is not a politician and has no experience governing a complex nation. My fear is that radicals are using him to project an acceptable face to the international community while they systematically radicalise our institutions from within,” she said.

“This should alarm not only India, but every nation invested in South Asian stability. The secular character of Bangladeshi politics was one of our greatest strengths, and we cannot allow it to be sacrificed at the whim of a few idiotic extremists,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina also said that Yunus’ ideologies and support for people with extremist links was a key reason for recently strained relations with India.

The Indian government has voiced concerns at the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh after it was reported that a Hindu Man had been lynched during the spiral of violence last week.

“The strain you are witnessing is entirely of Yunus’s making. His government issues hostile statements against India, fails to protect religious minorities, and allows extremists to dictate foreign policy, then expresses surprise when tensions rise. India has been Bangladesh’s most steadfast friend and partner for decades. The ties between our nations are deep and fundamental; they will outlast any temporary government. I am confident that once legitimate governance is restored, Bangladesh will return to the sensible partnership we cultivated over fifteen years, ” Sheik Hasina told ANI.

The former Bangladesh PM alleged that the Yunus government has manufactured this ideology by giving patronage to such people.

“This hostility is being manufactured by extremists who have been emboldened by the Yunus regime. These are the same actors who marched on the Indian embassy and attacked our media offices, who attack minorities with impunity, and who forced me and my family to flee for our lives. Yunus has placed such figures in positions of power and released convicted terrorists from prison,” she said.

“India’s concerns about the safety of its personnel are justified, I am sorry to say. A responsible government would protect diplomatic missions and prosecute those who threaten them. Instead, Yunus grants immunity to hooligans and calls them warriors,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina, who is currently living in exile in India, also criticised recent remarks by a Bangladeshi Politician who had claimed to want to “choke” India’s north east at the Siliguri corridor.

“Such statements are dangerous and irresponsible, reflecting the extremist elements that have gained influence under Yunus. No serious leader would threaten a neighbour upon whom Bangladesh depends for trade, transit, and regional stability. This rhetoric serves only ideological fantasies, not Bangladesh’s national interests. India has every right to view such statements with concern. These voices do not represent the Bangladeshi people, who understand that our prosperity and security depend on strong ties with India. Once democracy is restored and responsible governance returns, such reckless talk will end,” she said.

The former Bangladesh PM alleged that all this was a sign of Yunus trying to realign Bangladesh’s stated foreign policy framework which she says he has no right to.

“Yunus has no mandate to realign Bangladesh’s foreign policy. He was not elected, so has no right to make strategic decisions that could impact generations. Once Bangladeshis can vote freely again, our foreign policy will return to serving our national interests, not the ideological fantasies of extremists who have temporarily seized power. The ties between Bangladesh and India are fundamental and will endure long after this interim government is gone,” she said.

Even as her country struggles to come to grips with the rise of fundamentalist forces, Sheikh Hasina further says that she would only be in a position to return to Bangladesh when the nation has a legitimate government and an independent judiciary.

The spiral of violence in Bangladesh which included the lynching of a Hindu man has elicited deep concern from India, especially in the light of recent threats by radical groups to Indian missions in the country. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes that the stressed relations between India and her country are completely of the making of the interim government headed by Mohammad Yunus.

The former Bangladesh PM accused the Yunus government of issuing hostile statements against India and failing to protect religious minorities.

Also read | How are students reshaping the politics in Bangladesh?

“The strain you are witnessing is entirely of Yunus’ making. His government issues hostile statements against India, fails to protect religious minorities, and allows extremists to dictate foreign policy, then expresses surprise when tensions rise. India has been Bangladesh’s most steadfast friend and partner for decades. The ties between our nations are deep and fundamental; they will outlast any temporary government. I am confident that once legitimate governance is restored, Bangladesh will return to the sensible partnership we cultivated over fifteen years,” she said.

“This hostility is being manufactured by extremists who have been emboldened by the Yunus regime. These are the same actors who marched on the Indian Embassy and attacked our media offices, who attack minorities with impunity, and who forced me and my family to flee for our lives. Yunus has placed such figures in positions of power and released convicted terrorists from prison. India’s concerns about the safety of its personnel are justified, I am sorry to say. A responsible government would protect diplomatic missions and prosecute those who threaten them. Instead, Yunus grants immunity to hooligans and calls them warriors,” she added.

Hasina’s remarks come days after India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Bangladeshi envoy in New Delhi over security concerns linked to protests outside Indian High Commissions in Bangladesh. Dhaka, in turn, had earlier summoned India’s High Commissioner to convey its objections over what it called “anti-election activities” linked to Bangladeshi political figures staying in India.

Hasina, who has been staying in India since her government was ousted last year following mass protests, defended New Delhi’s long-standing ties with Dhaka. “India has been Bangladesh’s most steadfast friend and partner for decades. The ties between our nations are deep and fundamental; they will outlast any temporary government,” she said.

She added that once “legitimate governance is restored”, Bangladesh would return to the “sensible partnership” cultivated during her 15-year tenure.

The diplomatic back-and-forth intensified after Bangladesh on December 14 summoned India’s High Commissioner Pranay Verma, alleging that “fugitive political figures”, including Hasina, were engaging in activities from Indian soil aimed at influencing Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for February next year.

New Delhi rejected the accusations, reiterating that India has never allowed its territory to be used for activities harmful to the interests of the people of Bangladesh. India’s Ministry of External Affairs underlined that it remains committed to a stable and democratic Bangladesh.

Tensions further escalated following the killing of Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot at close range in Dhaka on December 12 and later died in Singapore on December 18. His death triggered widespread protests across Bangladesh, including demonstrations outside Indian diplomatic missions.

Following reports of security threats to the Indian High Commission and inflammatory anti-India statements from Bangladesh’s student leaders, during these protests, India summoned the Bangladeshi envoy in New Delhi.

On the death of Osman Hadi, Sheikh Hasina alleged that “lawlessness” that uprooted her regime has multiplied under Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. The former PM also flagged the persecution of minorities in the country, saying that India “sees the chaos.”

“This tragic killing reflects the lawlessness that uprooted my government and has multiplied under Yunus. Violence has become the norm while the interim government either denies it or is powerless to stop it. Such incidents destabilise Bangladesh internally but also our relationships with neighbours who are watching with justified alarm. India sees the chaos, the persecution of minorities, and the erosion of everything we built together. When you cannot maintain basic order within your borders, your credibility on the international stage collapses. This is the reality of Yunus’ Bangladesh,” Sheikh Hasina said.

Tension simmered across Bangladesh on Wednesday (November 12, 2025) as crude bomb and arson attacks rocked Dhaka and other parts of the country ahead of a special tribunal’s announcement of the verdict date against deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Unidentified assailants set fire to a branch office of Muhammad Yunus-founded Grameen Bank in eastern Brahmanbaria early in the day. Later, an abandoned railway carriage was torched at Dhaka railway station amid a series of low-intensity blasts across the capital.

Though no casualties were reported, several buses were set ablaze while crude bombs exploded at Dhaka University and other parts of the city. The violence comes ahead of Thursday’s (November 13) planned “Dhaka Lockdown” called by Hasina’s now-disbanded Awami League, coinciding with the tribunal’s announcement.

Mr. Yunus, who is currently the Chief Adviser of the interim government, founded the Grameen Bank in 1983 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work in poverty alleviation and the empowerment of poor women.

The Home Ministry said law enforcement agencies have been placed on high alert with orders to act with “zero-tolerance” against any attempt to create unrest. Police carried out security drills across the capital city and deployed personnel at key locations.

“There is no cause for concern or fear. Dhaka city dwellers will stand against the Awami League’s subversive activities,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali told reporters.

Hasina, currently in exile in India, is being tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal–Bangladesh (ICT-BD).

Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for her alleged role in ordering the violent suppression of last year’s student-led “July Uprising,” which eventually toppled her government on August 5, 2024.

Earlier this week, U.K.-based law firm Doughty Street Chambers submitted an “urgent appeal” to the United Nations, alleging that Hasina was being tried “in an environment charged with political vengeance” under an “unelected interim government with no democratic mandate.”

Over recent weeks, the Awami League has filed several complaints in international courts accusing the interim administration of political repression and human rights violations. Last month, the party lodged a case with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, accusing the Mr. Yunus-led government of crimes against humanity, including killings and arbitrary arrests.

Former Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen, who also served as Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the United Nations, last month wrote to the U.N. Human Rights Council alleging “political suppression, enforced disappearances, cases against military officers, impunity for criminals, and attacks on journalists”.

The predawn arson attack on Grameen Bank’s Chandura branch in eastern Brahmanbaria damaged documents and furniture but spared the vault. It was the second such attack on the institution after crude bombs were hurled at its Dhaka head office on Monday (November 10).

That same day, an organic food outlet owned by interim cabinet member Farida Akhtar was targeted in a similar attack, while nearly a dozen mostly empty buses were torched, killing one driver.

Low-intensity bomb and arson attacks took place on Tuesday (November 11) as well, prompting authorities to enforce a round-the-clock security vigil with orders for the arrest of any suspect on sight.

Police said they had arrested 552 Awami League activists in the past 10 days and another 44 on Wednesday (November 12) alone for allegedly creating unrest. Officials estimate that over 3,000 members of the “banned” party have been detained since last month.

Last week, the Bangladesh Army withdrew half of its 60,000 personnel deployed on policing duties for “rest and training,” while additional Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) units were mobilised to maintain vigilance in and around the capital.