Bangladesh’s interim government chief Mohammad Yunus announced on 20 December 2025 that seven suspects were arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion for the brutal lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das (27) over blasphemy allegations in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka area, where a mob savagely beat him to death before tying his body to a tree and setting it ablaze twice.
This shocking violence erupted amid escalating unrest triggered by the assassination of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi (32), who was shot in the head by masked gunmen while campaigning in Dhaka, airlifted to Singapore, and died there after six days in critical condition prompting widespread protests, vandalism of media offices, and a police reward of $42,000 for his killers.
Yunus detailed the arrests on X and condemned the acts; Bhaluka police officer Ripon Mia confirmed the lynching and body custody; Awami League leader Mohammad Ali Arafat decried it as proof of “full-scale radicalism” under Yunus; the government issued a strong rebuke amid India’s concerns for minorities ahead of 2026 elections.
Gruesome Lynching Shocks Mymensingh
The horror unfolded on the evening of 19 December 2025 in the Dubalia Para area of Square Master Bari, Bhaluka upazila, Mymensingh district a quiet neighbourhood disrupted by sudden fury.
Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old garment factory worker and local tenant, became the target after rumours spread that he had made derogatory remarks about Islam and Prophet Muhammad during a factory event observing World Arabic Language Day.
According to eyewitness accounts reported by Bengali media outlet Barta Bazar, the allegations ignited rapidly among factory colleagues and nearby residents, drawing an angry mob that cornered Dipu around 9 pm. They beat him mercilessly with sticks and fists until he lay lifeless on the spot, his cries drowned out by chants and shouts.
The mob’s rage did not end there. In a macabre escalation, they stripped his body, dragged it to the nearby Square Masterbari bus stand, bound it to a tree with ropes, and flogged the corpse while hurling religious slogans.
Petrol was then poured over it, and the crowd set it alight, watching as flames consumed the remains amid cheers. Not satisfied, they hauled the charred body to the bustling Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, igniting it once more and blocking traffic for hours, plunging the area into panic as motorists fled and locals barricaded homes.
Bhaluka Upazila Executive Officer Md. Firoz Hossain later verified: “A person was killed over allegations of insulting the Prophet; the body is now in police custody.”
In a swift response, Yunus took to X to affirm justice: “In the incident of beating to death Sanatan Dharma adherent youth Dipu Chandra Das (27) in Valuka, Mymensingh, RAB has arrested seven individuals… RAB-14 conducted operations at various locations.”
He listed the suspects: Md. Limon Sarkar (19), Md. Tarek Hossain (19), Md. Manik Mia (20), Ershad Ali (39), Nijum Uddin (20), Alomgir Hossain (38), and Md. Miraj Hossain Akon (46) ranging from teenagers to men in their forties, highlighting the mob’s diverse ages.
Hadi’s Assassination Sparks Nationwide Turmoil
This lynching comes against a backdrop of deepening political instability, intensified by the tragic death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a 32-year-old firebrand from the University of Dhaka and convenor of Inquilab Mancha an anti-establishment platform born from the explosive July 2024 uprising that toppled the previous regime.
Hadi, who rejected mainstream political elites and championed generational change, was midway through launching his campaign for upcoming polls when masked assailants ambushed his rickshaw on Box Culvert Road in Dhaka’s Motijheel area.
A single bullet pierced near his left ear, causing massive blood loss; he clung to life in critical condition before being airlifted to a Singapore hospital, where he passed away six days later.
Authorities confirmed the attack’s premeditated nature but initially withheld motives, releasing suspect sketches and a five-million-taka ($42,000) reward for tips.
Yunus publicly acknowledged Hadi’s death, prompting Bangladesh to declare a half-day of state mourning, organise special prayers, and repatriate his body for a funeral that drew thousands.
Protests erupted instantly across Dhaka and other cities: demonstrators vandalised government buildings, torched newspaper offices symbolising the old guard, and targeted political landmarks, reigniting fears of anarchy.
Former Awami League minister Mohammad Ali Arafat linked the lynching directly to this chaos, stating Bangladesh is “steadily heading toward full-scale radicalism under the leadership of the interim government’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.”
The interim administration has “wholeheartedly condemned” both atrocities, vowing probes amid external pressure particularly from India, which has repeatedly flagged minority vulnerabilities in Bangladesh.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Mob violence fuelled by unverified rumours and targeted assassinations not only claim innocent lives but fracture the very soul of pluralistic societies, demanding an immediate pivot toward justice, empathy, and reasoned dialogue.
At The Logical Indian, we unwaveringly champion peace, kindness, harmony, and coexistence, urging Bangladesh’s leaders, security forces, and communities to dismantle cycles of vengeance through robust fact-checking, minority safeguards, equitable legal processes, and inclusive forums that amplify marginalised voices. True progress lies in fostering understanding over outrage, healing divisions with accountability rather than reprisals.
