A Hindu garment worker was brutally lynched and his body set on fire in Bhaluka of Mymensingh on December 18 after a mob accused him of making derogatory remarks about religion. However, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has stated that no direct evidence of blasphemy has been found against the victim.
The deceased, identified as Dipu Chandra Das, aged around 28, worked at Dubulia Pioneer Knit Factory and hailed from Tarakanda upazila of the district. According to RAB and police accounts, Dipu was forcibly taken out of the factory on Thursday night and beaten to death by an enraged mob before his body was hung from a tree and set ablaze on the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway near the Jamirdia Square Masterbari bus stand.
No One Heard or Saw Any Blasphemous Remark
Addressing a press briefing at the RAB-14 office on Saturday, RAB Company Commander Additional Superintendent of Police Md. Shamsuzzaman said investigators found no firsthand witness who heard or saw Dipu making any blasphemous comment.
“If the victim had written something on Facebook, that would have been a different matter. But everyone we spoke to said they did not personally hear or see him making any derogatory remarks about religion,” he said.
He added that the situation inside the factory became volatile in the afternoon, and factory officials later pushed Dipu outside in an attempt to protect the premises. Although the incident reportedly began around 5:00 pm, police were informed only around 8:00 pm.
Assault Began Inside the Factory
According to RAB, police, and local journalists, a group of workers inside the factory first assaulted Dipu, accusing him of insulting the Prophet. The allegation quickly spread by word of mouth, with claims circulating that Dipu had made such remarks while sitting at a tea stall.
As news spread outside, a crowd gathered at the factory gates and demanded that Dipu be handed over. Since it coincided with factory closing hours in the area, a large number of people assembled within a short time.
In an attempt to calm the situation, the factory’s production manager reportedly dismissed Dipu from his job. Shortly afterward, factory personnel pushed him outside, where he was taken onto the highway, beaten with fists and crude weapons, hung from a tree, and set on fire. At one point, the rope burned and his body fell to the ground. Police and army personnel later arrived and brought the situation under control.
Claims About Police Involvement Denied
Rumors circulating on social media claimed that Dipu had sought refuge at a police station and was later handed over to the mob. These claims have been rejected by Bhaluka Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Zahidul Islam, who said police were informed very late and that the killing took place after Dipu was taken directly from the factory.
“The incident occurred inside the factory, and we were notified much later,” he said.
Ten Arrested So Far
Law enforcement agencies have so far arrested ten people in connection with the killing. RAB-14 arrested seven suspects, while police detained three others following separate operations.
The arrested individuals are:
Limon Sarkar (19), Tarek Hossain (19), Manik Mia (20), Nijhum Uddin (20), Shahin Mia (19), Nazmul (21), Azmal Sagir (26), Ershad Ali (39), Alamgir Hossain (38), and Miraj Hossain (46).
RAB officials said the detainees will be handed over to police through legal procedures.
Family Demands Justice
Dipu’s cousin Kartik Chandra Das said videos of the incident clearly show who was involved. “People in the area know what kind of person my brother was. He was killed based on false allegations. We want justice,” he said, declining to comment further on what transpired inside the factory.
Dipu Chandra Das is survived by his wife and a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. He had been living alone in a rented mess near the factory for work.
Government Condemnation
In a statement issued on Friday, the interim government strongly condemned the killing, stating that such violence has no place in “New Bangladesh” and that no one involved in the crime will be spared.
