Terror at dusk: Hindu gold trader hacked to death before helpless wife amid Bangladesh’s deepening security crisis

Sanjoy Kumar Barua

In a harrowing incident that underscores the escalating lawlessness gripping Bangladesh, a Hindu gold trader was savagely attacked and killed in front of his wife during a robbery in Ashulia.

The victim, 47-year-old Dilip Das, was ambushed around 8:30 pm on Sunday, March 9, 2025, as he was closing his shop, “Dilip Shornoloy,” in Nayarhat Bazar.

His wife, Saraswati Das, recounted the horror with trembling hands:

“They didn’t just rob him—they butchered him like he was nothing. He clutched the bag so tightly, as if our entire life depended on it.”

“They tore it from him with their machetes, slashing him over and over. His blood was everywhere, his body trembling in my arms. I kept screaming for help, but no one could stop them. And then they threw crude bombs and disappeared into the night.”

The stolen bag contained an estimated 20 to 25 bhori of gold, along with an unspecified amount of cash, she added.

CCTV footage captured the brutal attack, according to Ashulia Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Md Kamal Hossain.

“The footage shows four men striking him from behind as he locked up his shop, ‘Dilip Shornoloy.’ He turned, only to be struck again. They then fled with his bag, throwing crude bombs to create chaos,” he said.

Dr. Merajur Rehan Pavel, an emergency medical officer at Enam Medical College Hospital, described Dilip’s injuries as catastrophic.

“Deep stab wounds in his chest, face, and back. The brutality was unimaginable. We tried everything, but he was too far gone.”

This latest murder highlights the rapid deterioration of law and order under the Yunus-led interim government.

The major cities in Bangladesh especially Dhaka’s and Chittagong’s streets have become perilous, with criminals emboldened by a government struggling to rein in rising violence.

Despite recent measures announced by the Home Ministry to enhance security, including nationwide crackdowns and increased patrols, the efficacy of these initiatives remains questionable.

In January 2025, at least 294 murder cases were filed across various police stations in Bangladesh, reflecting a significant surge in violence.

Alongside this, the number of robbery cases spiked to 171, signaling a troubling trend that shows no sign of abating.

Despite the government’s launch of “Operation Devil Hunt” on February 8, aimed at restoring law and order, the nation remains gripped by an escalating tide of crime.

People are now living in constant fear of becoming victims of murder, theft, mugging, or burglary, while the government appears increasingly impotent in addressing these growing threats.

The alarming trend has continued even amid the crackdown, with dozens of crimes, including rape, murder, mugging, robbery, and extortion, reported between February 1 and February 24, 2025.

One particularly horrific incident on February 17 — a robbery and sexual assault on a moving bus — sent shockwaves through the nation, highlighting severe lapses in security.

A viral video showed two men viciously attacking a couple in Uttara, underscoring the growing lawlessness.

Earlier in January, 16 lives were lost to mob violence, according to the Ain O Salish Kendra, a legal rights organization.

The surge in attacks also targeted Sufi establishments, with the Global Sufi Organisation claiming that over 80 mazars and darbar sharifs (Sufi centres) were attacked by extremist groups over the past six months.

The government confirmed at least 40 such sites had been targeted in 44 separate incidents since August 4.

On Sunday night, a wave of muggings across various parts of Dhaka further fueled panic.

Videos of armed criminals wielding guns and cleavers went viral, sparking outrage on social media and raising questions about the impotence of law enforcement.

Despite the ambitious “Operation Devil Hunt”, which resulted in over 9,500 arrests, the crackdown has failed to make a tangible impact on the ground.

Experts and police officers point to the release of top criminals following last year’s political upheaval, which has fueled extortion and intensified criminal activity.

Additionally, the widespread looting of arms and ammunition during recent uprisings has armed criminals, further escalating the severity and frequency of crimes across the country.

Law enforcement remains caught in a vicious cycle, unable to regain control of the streets, while citizens are left to fend for themselves in an increasingly volatile environment.