Tensions simmer in Bangladesh’s Gazipur district following the savage murder of a Hindu sweet shop owner, the latest in a string of minority-targeted killings before national polls. Liton Chandra Ghosh, 55, affectionately called Kali, met a horrific end when attackers smashed his head with a spade during a street brawl.

The confrontation erupted at Ghosh’s Baishakhi Sweetmeat and Hotel on Baranagar Road. Around 11 AM Saturday, customer Masum Mia, 28, picked a fight with teenage employee Ananta Das, 17, over something minor. Fists flew soon after, drawing in Masum’s father Mohammad Swapna Mia, 55, and mother Majida Khatun, 45, who piled on the violence.

Ghosh, trying to shield his staff and calm the chaos, became the prime target. A devastating blow from a spade to his skull ended his life instantly. Witnesses reacted fast, capturing the family attackers and delivering them to authorities.

KaliGanj police have detained all three, with OC Mohammad Zakir Hossain assuring thorough probes and murder charges. ‘We’ve secured the suspects and are piecing together the full sequence of events,’ he said.

The outrage is compounded by Friday’s adjacent tragedy: petrol pump worker Ripon Saha crushed under a car for chasing unpaid fuel dues. These successive Hindu deaths paint a grim picture of escalating persecution, fueling demands for government intervention. As Bangladesh hurtles toward elections, the minority community’s sense of vulnerability deepens, with calls growing for protection against what many see as organized hate.