Just a month after the student protests in Bangladesh forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina out of power and the creation of an interim government under Muhammad Yunus, a new controversy emerged after a young Bangladeshi Hindu boy was claimed to have been beaten to death by an angry Islamist mob after he allegedly posted derogatory statements against an important religious figure.
Bangladeshi Hindu boy Utsab Mondol’s pictures released by Bangladesh Army. He was beaten by a mob over allegations of blasphemy. Images of his bloodied body had led to fears that he’s been killed. Luckily, he survived despite being badly injured pic.twitter.com/9nMGG8o0fK
— Padmaja Joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) September 9, 2024
The incident is part of more extensive anti-Hindu violence that has been occurring in Bangladesh after Hasina was overthrown from power last August, where Hindu establishments, temples, and even homes were targeted by mobs who were upset over their alleged support for Hasina’s Awami League, prompting many Bangladeshi Hindus to flee to India for their safety.
The incident began on the night of September 4th, after a young Hindu boy named Utsav Mondal reportedly posted offensive and derogatory comments on a social networking site against a religious figure, possibly the Prophet Muhammad.
Mondal, whose age ranged from 15 to 22 according to reports by local as well as Bangladeshi media, was tracked down at 8 PM by a group of madrasa students. He was taken to Deputy Commissioner (South) Mohammad Tazul Islam in Sonadanga in southern Bangladesh. Word of his detention began to spread, and soon, an angry mob formed outside the commissioner’s office, demanding they hand over the boy.
Thanks for sharing these visuals, Aditya. It’s a relief that he is alive but what’s not a relief is that those who claimed to *!ll him and those who beat him with such barbarity are roaming free. The regime there is not trustworthy as far as the safety of the minority is…
— Sharmishta Sharma (@AnObserversView) September 9, 2024
The situation began to worsen as the angry mob surrounded the building. As the Bangladeshi police were unable to contain the mob, Bangladeshi army and navy personnel were deployed to suppress the growing unrest. But despite their presence, the mob, even more agitated than before, managed to break into the commissioner’s office and brutally assault Mondal, leaving the boy critically injured.
Deputy Commissioner Islam later explained that he tried to reassure the mob by promising they would take legal action against Mondal for his offensive comments, including filing a case against him and following due legal process. However, these reassurances did not satisfy the angry crowd, and the situation became increasingly volatile as the number of protesters grew to thousands.
What happened next became more unclear. Local media initially reported Mondal succumbed to his injuries and died after the angry mob brutally attacked Mondal him. However, other media outlets, notably the Indian press, reported that the police used mosque loudspeakers at around 11:45 PM to falsely claim that Mondal was lynched to death in a bid to disperse the crowd and restore calm.
thank god. alive....
— World History (@Xworld_historyX) September 6, 2024
Bangladeshi news outlet Dhaka Tribune confirmed that Mondal was alive and was taken away by army personnel for medical treatment under the army’s supervision. His location was not disclosed for security purposes.
The country’s Directorate of Inter-Services Public Relations said in their press release on September 5th that a case was filed against Mondal for violating religious sentiments. He will be handed over to authorities once he recovers. The directorate also stressed that the Bangladeshi Army is committed to preventing extrajudicial killings and upholding the rule of law while urging the public not to be misled by rumors circulating on social media regarding Mondal’s alleged death.
