In a harrowing incident that highlights the escalating danger for minorities in Bangladesh, a Hindu businessman was brutally assaulted by a mob in Dhaka on New Year's Eve. Khokan Chandra, a 40-year-old pharmacy owner, was waylaid by a group of attackers who beat him, stabbed him repeatedly, and then doused him in petrol before setting him alight. In a desperate bid for survival, Chandra managed to jump into a nearby pond to extinguish the flames before being rescued by locals.

This attack is not an isolated event but part of a disturbing pattern of violence targeting the Hindu community in the region. It marks the fourth such incident in a span of just two weeks, following closely on the heels of the murder of another Hindu man, Bajendra Biswas, who was shot dead while on security duty. The surge in violence is reportedly linked to the volatile political climate following the death of anti-India youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

The local authorities have admitted the victim is in critical condition but have yet to identify the perpetrators or a specific motive, though the sectarian nature of the violence is evident. India has expressed grave concern over the "unremitting hostility" faced by minorities in neighboring Bangladesh. The international community is watching closely as the safety of vulnerable populations hangs in the balance amidst the growing unrest.