In a tragic early-morning incident that has intensified worries about minority safety in Bangladesh, a 30-year-old Hindu employee at a fuel station was killed when an SUV ran him over after he attempted to prevent the vehicle from departing without settling the bill.
The event occurred around 4:30 am on Friday at the Karim Filling Station in Goalanda Mor, Rajbari district. The victim, Ripon Saha, confronted the occupants of a black Land Cruiser after it was filled with petrol valued at about 5,000 Bangladeshi taka (roughly INR 3,710). When the driver refused to pay and tried to drive away, Saha positioned himself in front of the vehicle to block its exit.
CCTV footage reviewed by police shows Saha and the vehicle’s owner, Abul Hashem (also known as Sujan), near the car. Following a short exchange, Hashem entered the SUV, which then accelerated. Saha pursued the vehicle on foot. A fellow employee, Jakir Hossain, followed and soon found Saha’s body on the adjacent highway, suffering from critical head and facial trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police responded promptly, impounding the SUV and detaining its owner, Abul Hashem, 55, along with the driver, Kamal Hossain, 43. Hashem, a contractor, previously served as treasurer of the Rajbari district unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and as president of its youth wing, Jubo Dal. Authorities have stated that a murder case will be filed.
Rajbari Sadar Police chief Khondakar Ziaur Rahman told bdnews24.com that the employee had obstructed the car after payment was denied, resulting in him being struck and the vehicle fleeing the premises.
This fatality arrives against a backdrop of multiple reported attacks on Bangladesh’s Hindu community in recent months. Incidents have included beatings, lynchings, home arsons, and killings linked to various disputes or accusations. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council documented 51 communal violence cases in December 2025 alone, attributing the pattern partly to attempts to suppress minority participation in forthcoming general elections.
Although law enforcement has not attributed a communal motive to Saha’s death, the case underscores persistent challenges regarding the protection of minorities and the enforcement of justice in Bangladesh
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