Rana Pratap Bairagi, a 38-year-old Hindu businessman and acting editor of a local newspaper, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jessore district, Bangladesh, on 5 January 2026. The incident occurred in the Kopaliya Bazar area of Monirampur upazila around 5:45 pm.
Police confirmed that Bairagi was called out of his ice factory, taken to a nearby alley, and shot in the head at close range. He died at the scene. An investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been reported.
According to Hindustan Times, Bairagi was a resident of Arua village in Keshabpur upazila and owned an ice-making factory in Kopaliya Bazar. He also served as the acting editor of the newspaper ‘Dainik BD Khabar’, published from Narail.
Police stated that three attackers arrived on a motorcycle, called Bairagi out of his factory, and led him to an alley before shooting him multiple times in the head. The attackers fled immediately after the incident.
As reported by The Hindu, Bairagi was shot three times in the head and his throat was slit. The police officer in charge, Md. Rajiullah Khan, said the motive for the murder remains unknown, and an investigation has been launched. Police also noted that Bairagi had four cases registered against him in two police stations, but further details were not available at the time of reporting.
As highlighted by The Indian Express, the killing of Bairagi was the second such incident involving a Hindu community member in Bangladesh within 24 hours. Earlier, Sarat Chakraborty Mani, a grocery shop owner, was attacked and killed in Narsingdi district. Both incidents have contributed to growing concerns about the safety of minorities in the country.
The Indian government has previously expressed concern over violence against minorities in Bangladesh, urging that such incidents not be dismissed.
“Following a brief altercation, they fired several shots at him, killing him on the spot,” a witness told The Daily Star, as cited in the coverage.
This report highlighted, in the past three weeks, five people from Bangladesh’s Hindu community have been killed in separate violent incidents. The recent attacks have caused fear and panic among local residents, particularly in areas with significant Hindu populations. Community leaders and activists have condemned the violence and called for increased protection for minorities.
This report mentioned, Bairagi was described as an active member of the banned Purbo Banglar Communist Party, and police suggested he may have been a victim of an internal feud. However, the official investigation has not confirmed any motive, and authorities continue to examine all possible angles.
“We are investigating who was involved,” a police officer said, as cited in the coverage, confirming that authorities are pursuing all leads in the case.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.