Pirganj attack: a resurfaced Facebook post and a night of fear, Ex-Muslim Voices column

The Pirganj attack shows how fast a screenshot can become a mob. Three Hindu homes in Rangpur were vandalised and looted on Monday night. This is an Ex-Muslim Voices column.

The Daily Star reports that the attack happened in Chak Karimpur village. About 50 to 60 people armed with sticks, iron rods and local weapons struck around 7 pm. The assault lasted about an hour.

What happened in the Pirganj attack

The victims were Bishu Chandra Mohanta, 50, Jagadish Chandra Mohanta, 60, and Dinesh Chandra Mohanta, 46. Homes and furniture were damaged. Livestock and valuables were taken.

Police say the trigger was a video shared months earlier on Facebook by Saurav Chandra Mohanta, 22, Bishu’s son. He deleted it. Screenshots resurfaced on Sunday and tension rose.

Saurav was arrested early Tuesday in Bogura’s Shibganj. A local resident filed a case over an alleged religious offence. Bishu filed a separate case over the looting. Eight people are named and 60 to 70 more are accused. Police have arrested one named suspect.

The local police chief said officers are deployed to prevent further violence. A local official said affected families would get financial help. About 65 Hindu families live in the village, and residents say fear has taken hold.

Why ex-Muslims watch cases like this

I write as someone who understands what an accusation of insulting religion can do. The charge needs no proof. It needs only a crowd. Whether the target is Hindu, Christian, atheist or ex-Muslim, the pattern is the same.

Notice the order of events. A deleted post resurfaced. A mob formed. Only then did the law arrive. Courts should decide guilt. Mobs should never decide anything.

Notice also who paid. The family, not the poster, lost property. Neighbours who did nothing wrong were collectively punished.

Bangladesh needs prompt prosecution of the attackers, compensation for the victims, and a firm line that offence is not licence for violence. Similar patterns appear elsewhere, as in the case of Betty Lachgar in Morocco.

Freedom to doubt, joke or even offend must be protected. So must freedom from the mob.

Fact basis: The Daily Star, 28 October 2026 (single-outlet account of a developing story; details attributed to police and officials). This column expresses the author’s opinion.