India on Friday condemned the latest killing of a Hindu youth by a mob in Bangladesh, stating that it is a “matter of great concern”. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also said that it is closely watching developments in Bangladesh following the return of ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman ahead of the polls scheduled for February 2026.
Stating that the incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh cannot be “brushed aside as media exaggeration” or “dismissed as political violence”, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India expects that the perpetrators of the crime will be brought to justice.
India also mentioned that over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities, including cases of killings, arsons, and land grabbings, have been documented by independent sources during the tenure of the interim Bangladesh government led by Muhammad Yunus.
The MEA's comment comes after recent incidents involving the lynching of Hindu men in Bangladesh.
Hindu men lynched in Bangladesh
On Thursday, a 29-year-old Hindu man, Amrit Mandal, was killed in Bangladesh's Rajbari district, police said, according to The Daily Star. This incident comes days after the barbaric killing of another Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in Mymensingh.
Sheikh Moinul Islam, officer-in-charge of Pangsha Model Police Station, said Amrit Mandal had reportedly been accused by local residents of extortion, after which the situation escalated into mob violence.
Days before Mandal's death, Dipu Chandra Das – a garment factory worker – was beaten to death by a mob, after which his body was tied to a tree and set on fire. While initial reports claimed that the harrowing killing was over allegations of blasphemy, details which emerged later pointed to a workplace dispute as the likely trigger.
Earlier, MEA, in its response to media queries about Das's killing, had called the incident “horrendous," urging the perpetrators of the crime to be brought to justice.
On Thursday, 25 December, ex-PM Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman – who is also the acting chairperson of Bangladesh National Party (BNP) – returned to the nation after 17 years of self-exile in London.
'India closely following developments'
Referring to Tarique Rahman's return, India said it is closely following the developments in Bangladesh.
“India supports free and fair elections in Bangladesh, and this development should be seen in that context", said MEA.
Rahman – 60-year-old - has emerged as a leading contender for the prime minister's post, even as the country's Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, has been trying to throw a stiff challenge to the BNP in the polls, which are due on 12 February 2026.
Earlier, Bangladesh had issued a statement seeking the extradition of Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, accusing them of inciting violence, and raised concerns over alleged attempts to disrupt the upcoming elections.
India strongly refuted the claims, asserting that it never allowed its territory to be used for “activities inimical to the interests of Bangladesh” and pressed for holding the upcoming parliamentary polls in that country in a peaceful atmosphere.
