A 17-year-old boy’s Facebook post in Rangpur district of northern Bangladesh has sparked torrents of savage mob attacks against a Hindu village. At least 15 houses were looted over two days by enraged mobs, their valuables plundered, and terrified families chased away or sold their livestock and foodgrain under duress.
The attack came even after the teenager was arrested by police for allegedly denigrating Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. But even after the destruction, police have not filed a case against the perpetrators. Temporary peace came about with army deployment, but fear and insecurity continue to grip the locality.
Arrest Did Not Stop the Violence
The violence erupted on Saturday night, barely hours after police had arrested the teenager. He was a third-semester student at a polytechnic institute in a local area. Police stated that he had sent insulting material concerning Prophet Muhammad. They charged him under the Cybersecurity Act and remanded him in a juvenile detention centre following a court order.
But the arrest failed to placate the fury. Around 10 PM that night, a mob attacked the Hindu village of Aldadpur, burning houses belonging to the boy’s relatives. Police and army personnel were quickly sent to the scene, but the harm had already been done.
On Sunday afternoon, unrest broke out again the following day. There was another mob attack on the village after Zuhr prayers. At 3:30 PM, they started targeting homes once more. Police were attempting to restrain them but were attacked by several officers and a constable. The army needed to be summoned again. They were able to disperse the mob by 4:30 PM.
No FIR, No Arrests—Only Fear
Miraculously, up to Monday, there was no FIR yet against the vandals. There had been no arrests made. This was confirmed by police officer Al Emran to newspapers in Dhaka.
No action had been taken despite officials going to the sites that were affected and promising assistance. One local official, Mahmud Hasan Mridha, explained that they were “preparing a list” of the victims and damages.
Homes Destroyed, Livestock Sold in Panic
The aftermath is dire. Paddy was sold, goats and cows were stuffed into vans by many families, and homes were abandoned in fear. Kamalakanta Roy from a village described, “We had 10–12 mon (about 480 kg) of paddy. We are selling it now.”
His neighbours talked of hunger and trauma. “They haven’t eaten,” said one visitor. “When given rice, they said, ‘We can’t swallow food.'”
Rabindranath Roy and his wife Rohela Rani said their gold, documents, and clothes were stolen. “If they come again, we’ll have nothing left,” she said.
Children did not attend school. “Ninety-five percent of our students are Hindu,” said head teacher Kali Ranjan Roy. “No one came today.”
Post-Hasina Void Leaves Minorities Exposed
This attack is not unique. It represents a concerning trend since the government of Sheikh Hasina was removed in August 2024. The caretaker regime headed by Muhammad Yunus has witnessed an increase in communal attacks.
During the transition’s first week, Bangladesh experienced 200 attacks in 52 districts. By October, the government formally acknowledged 88 cases. But Yunus dismissed many of them as “exaggerated propaganda.”
This political void has made the state’s response weak and inspired militant groups. Minorities remain vulnerable. Without accountability, these attacks can only increase.
Unanswered Questions, Broken Trust
Why were there no arrests in the face of huge mobs? Why wasn’t a single FIR registered? Why did the police fail to stop the second round of violence after they were aware of the threat?
The authorities’ silence has heightened Hindus’ mistrust in Rangpur. The message is unambiguous: justice is unclear, and security is no longer assured.
These families, for the moment, are still displaced. Their houses are reduced to rubble. Their animals are missing. Their children are terrified. And justice is invisible.
