The recent surge in murders targeting Hindus in Bangladesh has laid bare the fragility of the country’s interim government. A new report highlights how violence against the minority community spikes whenever central authority weakens, leaving Hindu traders and small business owners particularly vulnerable.
Hindu shops, often located in bustling public markets, make easy targets for attackers. Lacking political clout, the community struggles to secure swift investigations or justice. In Narsingdi, grocer Mani Chakravarty became the sixth Hindu killed in under three weeks, stabbed in a crowded bazaar with perpetrators still at large.
This pattern underscores a deeper crisis. Sheikh Hasina’s ouster ended decades of centralized control. While criticized for authoritarianism, her regime maintained a disciplined security apparatus that quelled communal unrest effectively. Now, under Muhammad Yunus’s interim leadership, the inherited power vacuum has destabilized law enforcement.
Police units, long accustomed to top-down political directives, now operate in confusion. Without a clear chain of command, district forces hesitate, unsure of legitimate authority. The result: brazen attacks on minorities, signaling to criminals that punishment is unlikely.
Bangladesh has weathered political storms before, but this blend of institutional breakdown and rising communal tensions sets it apart. Mani’s death is no isolated tragedy—it’s a stark warning that the state is failing those who need it most. As the nation navigates this turbulent transition, restoring order and protecting vulnerable groups must top the agenda.