Another Hindu man killed in Bangladesh, crushed to death over unpaid fuel

A Hindu fuel station worker was crushed to death in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district after he tried to stop a vehicle from leaving without paying for fuel, an incident reported on Saturday, quoting police officials.

The victim, identified as 30-year-old Ripon Saha, was working at a filling station in the Goalanda area early Friday morning when a black SUV allegedly took fuel worth around Tk 5,000 and attempted to flee without payment. When Saha stood in front of the vehicle to block its exit, he was run over and killed on the spot, police said.

Following the incident, police seized the vehicle and arrested its owner, Abul Hashem alias Sujan, and the driver, Kamal Hossain. A murder case is being registered, and further investigation is underway, officials added.

The killing has drawn attention as the latest in a series of violent incidents involving members of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. According to community groups, incidents of communal violence have increased in recent weeks amid the run-up to national elections scheduled next month.

Data cited by minority organisations indicate dozens of violent attacks against Hindus in December alone, including shootings, lynchings and targeted killings across multiple districts, raising concerns over safety and law enforcement response.