Bangladesh Nabs ‘Leading Role’ Accused in Hindu Worker Murder

Bangladesh police have arrested another suspect in connection with the brutal murder of Hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, an incident that sparked outrage in both Bangladesh and India.

The Detective Branch of Bangladesh Police said the suspect, identified as 25-year-old Mohammad Yasin Arafat, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon from the Sarulia area of Dhaka under Demra Police Station. The arrest was made with assistance from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Confirming the development, Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Abdullah Al Mamun said Yasin had played a “leading role” in the killing of Dipu Chandra Das. According to police, Yasin went into hiding immediately after the murder and remained on the run for nearly two weeks.

Police said Yasin was serving as an imam at Sheikhbari Mosque in Kashar and also worked as a teacher at Madina Tahfizul Quran Madrasa. After the murder, he reportedly moved between several madrasas in the Sarulia area to evade arrest and later joined another madrasa, Suffa, as a teacher while in hiding.

“Yasin played a key role in the murder along with others. After the killing, he went into hiding and stayed at different madrasas for 12 days,” Mamun said, citing findings from the initial investigation.

Investigators said Yasin’s involvement has been confirmed through statements from other arrested suspects, eyewitness accounts, and details of the events that took place at the factory gate where Dipu was attacked.

So far, police have arrested 21 people in connection with the case. Of them, 18 have been sent to jail after completion of remand. Nine accused have reportedly given confessional statements, while three key witnesses have also recorded their statements describing the sequence of events.

Efforts are continuing to trace and arrest the remaining suspects involved in the crime, police said.

Dipu Chandra Das was lynched by a mob in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, on December 18. His body was later set on fire following allegations of blasphemy. However, several eyewitnesses and Dipu’s father have claimed that the killing was linked to workplace-related issues rather than religious reasons.

The murder triggered widespread outrage in India and raised serious concerns over the safety of minority communities in Bangladesh. The case has also drawn attention to incidents of mob violence and the vulnerability of religious minorities in the country.

Police said investigations are ongoing and assured that all those involved in the crime would be brought to justice.

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