Rana Pratap Bairagi was a 38-year-old Hindu businessman and journalist from Bangladesh. He owned an ice manufacturing factory in Kapalia Bazar under Monirampur Upazila of Jashore district. Alongside his business, he also served as the acting editor of the Bangladeshi newspaper Dainik BD Khobor, which is published from Narail. Bairagi was known locally as an entrepreneur as well as a media professional.
According to reports by Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo, the incident occurred on Monday evening at Kapalia Bazar. Around 5:45 pm, three assailants arrived on a motorcycle and called Rana Pratap Bairagi out of his ice factory. They then took him to a nearby alley, where he was shot in the head which led to the death of Bairagi on the spot. The attackers fled immediately after the shooting.
Police Response and Investigation
Monirampur Police Station’s officer-in-charge, Md Raziullah Khan, confirmed the incident and said the body was recovered from the scene. He added that the body was sent for post-mortem examination at Jashore Hospital. Police have not yet disclosed the motive behind the killing. The identities of the attackers remain unknown, and an investigation is currently underway, officials said.
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Other Similar Violence
The killing of Rana Pratap Bairagi came amid reports of increasing attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus. Within 24 hours of his murder, another Hindu man, Sarat Chakraborty Mani, was killed in Narsingdi district after being attacked with sharp weapons while running his grocery shop. He later died while being taken to the hospital.
Recent Attacks on Hindu Community
In recent weeks, several violent incidents involving Hindu victims have been reported. On New Year’s Eve, Khokon Chandra Das was set on fire after being assaulted with sharp weapons in Shariatpur district and later died from his injuries. The Rapid Action Battalion arrested three main accused in that case. Other reported cases include mob lynchings and targeted killings in Mymensingh and nearby areas.
Earlier, India’s Ministry of External Affairs had voiced serious concerns over the killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh, saying that it is a broader issue of minority safety and deteriorating law and order in the country.
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