Mymensingh: Another Hindu worker of a garments factory in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, was killed on Monday evening by a colleague, lending credence to allegations of targeted attacks on members of the minority community in that country.
The incident occurred around 6.45 pm on Monday at Sultana Sweaters Ltd, a garment unit of the Labib Group. Bajendra Biswas (42) and Noman Mia (29) were both members of the Ansar Bahini – a sort of civil defence force that helps the police in maintaining law and order.
Both stayed at the Ansar Barracks – an accomodation for members of the group.
According to India Today, the two were on guard at the time of the incident. Not much is known about what actually happened but Noman is reported to have picked up a shotgun, issued by the government, and casually shot Biswas.
The bullet hit Biswas in his left thigh, smashing it completely. He was rushed to the Bhaluka Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead.
A shotgun can be non-lethal when discharged on a crowd from a distance. However, when used in close range, the result can be lethal with the pellets causing severe damage.
Noman has been arrested and efforts are on to try and and ascertain the actual cause behind the attack. The police have still not issued any formal statement on the killing.
This is the second death of a Hindu in Mymensingh in less than two weeks. On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das, another garments worker, was brutally lynched on charges of blasphemy. The police did not find any evidence of any blasphemous act by Das though.