Members of the Assam Bengali Parishad on Monday staged a strong protest in Tinsukia district against Bangladeshi fundamentalist elements over the lynching of 27-year-old Bangladeshi Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, on December 16. The demonstrators, comprising both men and women, took out a demonstration raising slogans condemning religious extremism and demanding justice for the victim.
Gathered at a central point in Tinsukia’s Thana Chariali area, the protesters burnt an effigy of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, accusing the interim administration of failing to protect minorities and control mob violence. Participants held placards and banners calling for safety of Hindus in Bangladesh and urging the Indian government to raise the issue with Dhaka at the diplomatic level.
Speaking to the media during the protest, a leader of the Assam Bengali Parishad said, “The brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das is not just an attack on one individual, it is an attack on humanity and on the Hindu community in Bangladesh. We demand a fair investigation, strict punishment for the culprits and concrete measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.”
Another protester said the effigy burning was symbolic of their anger against what they termed the failure of the Bangladeshi authorities. “By burning the effigy of Muhammad Yunus, we want to send a clear message that mere statements are not enough. Minorities must feel safe on the ground,” she said. She further appealed to human rights organisations to take note of the incident and put pressure on the Bangladeshi government.
According to reports, 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, was lynched by a mob in Bangladesh on December 16. He was reportedly employed in a local garment unit when he was attacked and beaten to death by the mob, triggering outrage among rights groups and minority organisations.
