A Hindu businessman and 4 members of his household have been lacking from Bangladesh’s Chandpur district since August 20, with police investigating studies that he had acquired threats, in keeping with native media studies.Pintu Das, who runs a store and can also be concerned in lending cash in opposition to gold jewelry, went lacking alongside along with his spouse, two teenage sons and one other member of the family, bdnews.com reported, citing police.“I’ve realized that Pintu Das and 4 members of his household have been lacking since August 20,” Chandpur Mannequin Police Station officer-in-charge Foyez Ahmed mentioned, in keeping with information company PTI.Ahmed mentioned there have been allegations that a number of individuals had not acquired their gold again after pledging jewelry with Das. Nonetheless, he mentioned the circumstances surrounding the household’s disappearance had been nonetheless being investigated.“We’ll solely be capable of verify after the investigation if Pintu Das and his relations have gone into hiding voluntarily or if one thing else has occurred to them,” Ahmed mentioned.Upama Dey, Chandpur chapter chief of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (HBCUC) and Das’ cousin, mentioned he disappeared from his rented home in Chandpur alongside along with his spouse and two sons, who’re Class 10 college students.“Now we have heard that he acquired threats as he was beneath a burden with debt,” she mentioned, including that Das’ ancestral house is in southeastern Chattogram.The disappearance comes amid renewed issues over the protection of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority following the killing of a Hindu household in Rangpur final week.4-member Hindu household killed in RangpurA retired Hindu schoolteacher, his spouse and their two youngsters had been discovered useless inside their locked dwelling in Rangpur final week. The victims had been recognized as 65-year-old Ganapati Chakraborty, his spouse Pritilata, 50, their daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23, and their 12-year-old son Priyam Chakraborty.Police arrested two suspects, recognized as Mugdha and Siddhartha, in reference to the killings. Investigators mentioned the suspects allegedly entered the home to take yaba and killed the household after Ganapati confronted them.Police mentioned the suspects remained inside the home after the killings and later scattered furnishings, garments and different belongings to make the incident seem like a theft.The suspects allegedly left the home on Friday throughout Jummah prayers, when the streets had been comparatively empty, native media reported.Police mentioned gold jewelry allegedly taken from the home was later recovered from a location recognized by the suspects. Date pits discovered on the scene had been additionally despatched for DNA testing.The our bodies had been recovered from completely different elements of the home. Police mentioned the mom and daughter had been discovered on the staircase, Ganapati’s physique was discovered on the roof and Priyam’s physique was recovered from beneath a mattress.Subir Chowdhury, in-charge of Rangpur Metropolitan CID, mentioned, “The family belongings had been discovered scattered and in disarray. For now, it seems to be a theft. Nonetheless, nothing will be confirmed till the investigation is accomplished.”The police account has, nevertheless, confronted questions from minority rights activists, kin and native residents. The investigation was subsequently transferred to the specialised detective department.“We’re watching the developments. But it surely stays a giant query how two alleged drug addicts may kill 4 individuals and provides the home a glance of a theft scene in such a meticulous method?,” a frontrunner of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council mentioned.The newest incidents have renewed issues over assaults on non secular minorities in Bangladesh.In keeping with a report by the US-based Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), there have been 824 verified incidents of human rights abuses, together with 116 focused killings, throughout 63 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts in the course of the first half of 2026.The report additionally cited assaults on 142 temples, looting of 209 properties and companies, and 73 circumstances of compelled land grabbing involving non secular minorities.
