The killing took place in Bangladesh’s Kopalia Bazar area , where the assailants allegedly called the victim out of his factory, shot him multiple times in the head and slit his throat before escaping.
BY PC Bureau
January 5, 2026: A 45-year-old Hindu journalist and ice factory owner was shot dead by unidentified assailants in southwestern Bangladesh on Monday evening, in the latest incident of violence targeting minorities in the country.
The victim, Rana Pratap, was attacked in the Kopalia Bazar area of Manirampur sub-district in Jashore district around 6 pm. Police said the attackers arrived on a motorcycle, called Pratap out of his ice factory, led him into a nearby alley and opened fire at close range before fleeing the scene.
Local residents said an argument preceded the shooting. Seven spent bullet casings were recovered from the spot. Police later confirmed that Pratap was shot multiple times in the head and that his throat had also been slit.
Manirampur Police Station officer-in-charge Md Raziullah Khan said the body was recovered and sent for post-mortem examination. “He was shot three times in the head and his throat was slit. We are investigating the incident and trying to identify those involved,” he said.
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Pratap, the son of a schoolteacher from Arua village in neighbouring Keshabpur sub-district, had been running an ice factory in Kopalia Bazar for the past two years. He was also serving as the acting editor of the Bangladeshi daily BD Khobor, published from Narail district.
The newspaper’s news editor, Abul Kashem, said Pratap had faced legal cases in the past but had been acquitted. “He was our acting editor. I cannot say what led to his murder,” Kashem said.
Enough is enough!
Rana Pratap Bairagi, a 45-year-old Hindu businessman and journalist, was brutally shot in Jashore, Bangladesh. This is the 5th such incident in just 3 weeks.
When will it stop? pic.twitter.com/Cc1HBv9B39
— Arpita Chatterjee (@asliarpita) January 5, 2026
Some local political figures and sources alleged that Pratap had been involved in disputes in the area and had cases registered against him earlier, claims that remain under investigation. Police have not officially confirmed any link to extremist activity.
Pratap’s killing comes amid a series of violent incidents involving members of minority communities in Bangladesh in recent weeks. These include the rape of a Hindu widow in Jhenaidah district and the deaths of at least three Hindu men since late December, incidents that have drawn domestic and international condemnation.
India has expressed concern over what it described as continuing hostility towards minorities in Bangladesh and said it is closely monitoring developments. The Bangladesh government has maintained that it remains committed to protecting minority communities and ensuring law and order.
Investigations into Pratap’s murder are ongoing.
