Bangladesh: Two arrested for killing Hindu family of four in Rangpur
Synopsis
A retired Hindu schoolteacher and his wife, daughter, and 12-year-old son were strangled in their Rangpur home after he confronted two men consuming yaba on his rooftop. The suspects staged a fake robbery, but police traced and arrested them within days — even as the case reignites alarm over minority safety in Bangladesh.
Key Takeaways
Ganapati Chakraborty, 65 , a retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher, along with his wife Pritilata, 50 , daughter Prarthi, 23 , and son Priyam, 12 , were killed on 20 August 2025 .
The four bodies were discovered on Saturday night, 22 August .
Suspects Siddhartha Das, 23 , and Mugdha Das, 19 , were arrested from the Dakhiganj cremation ground in Rangpur.
The motive was reportedly retaliation after Ganapati confronted the duo for consuming yaba on his rooftop.
The accused allegedly staged a robbery and destroyed phone evidence using washing-powder solution.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council condemned the killings and demanded exemplary punishment.
Bangladesh police have arrested two men — Siddhartha Das, 23, and Mugdha Das, 19 — in connection with the killing of a retired Hindu schoolteacher and three members of his family in Rangpur city on 20 August 2025. The four victims were found dead on Saturday night, 22 August, two days after the murders took place.
What Happened That Night
According to Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud, speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the suspects were allegedly consuming yaba — a potent methamphetamine-based drug — on the rooftop of the Chakraborty family home late Thursday night. Retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, 65, reportedly heard a noise and went upstairs, where he spotted the two men and asked them to stop using drugs. The suspects allegedly strangled him with a towel.
When his wife, Pritilata Chakraborty, 50, and daughter, Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23, rushed to the rooftop after hearing screams, they were allegedly strangled as well. The suspects then entered the house and killed the couple's only son, Priyam Chakraborty, 12, in the same manner, according to the commissioner.
Attempt to Cover Up the Crime
The accused allegedly staged the scene to make the killings appear robbery-related, ransacking the house before leaving. According to police, they used the bathroom, ate dates left on the table, and consumed more yaba before departing. They also allegedly submerged the mobile phones of Ganapati and Pritilata in a washing-powder solution to destroy fingerprint evidence, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. The two suspects were detained from the Dakhiganj cremation ground in the city.
Students Protest, Demand Justice
Following the killings, hundreds of Rangpur Zilla School students boycotted classes on Sunday and staged protests demanding immediate arrest and capital punishment for those responsible. Students marched to the offices of the Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the district administration, submitting separate memorandums seeking justice. They also formed a human chain and held a demonstration on the main road in front of the school.
Minority Rights Groups Condemn the Attack
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, a leading minority human rights organisation, strongly condemned the killings and called for a thorough investigation and exemplary punishment. The incident has drawn renewed attention to the security of religious minorities in Bangladesh. Critics argue it is part of a broader pattern of escalating attacks on minority communities that has persisted since the tenure of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and reportedly continues under the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) administration.
Point of View
And the swift arrests reflect police efficiency — but the case cannot be read in isolation. It lands in a Bangladesh where minority communities have repeatedly documented a climate of vulnerability, and where institutional accountability for anti-minority violence remains inconsistent. The drug motive, while credible, does not diminish the structural question: why do Hindu families in Bangladesh remain disproportionately exposed to violence with limited recourse? The student protests and civil society condemnation signal that citizens are watching — but condemnation without systemic reform has a short shelf life.
NationPress
24 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the victims of the Rangpur Hindu family killing?
The victims were retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, 65; his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, 50; their daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23; and their son Priyam Chakraborty, 12. All four were killed on the night of 20 August 2025 at their home in Rangpur city, Bangladesh.
Why were the four family members killed?
According to police, the two accused were consuming yaba — a methamphetamine-based drug — on the rooftop of the Chakraborty home when Ganapati confronted them and asked them to stop. The suspects allegedly strangled him and then killed the three other family members who came to his aid.
Who has been arrested in connection with the Rangpur killings?
Police arrested Siddhartha Das, 23, and Mugdha Das, 19, from the Dakhiganj cremation ground in Rangpur. Both are accused of planning and carrying out the murders and allegedly staging the scene to look like a robbery.
What is the broader context of this incident in Bangladesh?
The killings have drawn attention to what minority rights groups describe as an escalating pattern of attacks on Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian communities in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council condemned the murders and demanded a proper investigation and exemplary punishment.
How did students and civil society respond to the killings?
Hundreds of Rangpur Zilla School students boycotted classes and marched to the offices of the police commissioner and district administration, submitting memorandums demanding capital punishment for the accused. They also staged a human chain demonstration outside the school.
