In a harrowing incident that has shocked the local community in Rajbari district, a 30-year-old man from the minority Hindu community was brutally killed early Friday morning. Ripon Saha, a diligent worker at a local fuel station, was fatally run over by a sports utility vehicle (SUV) after he reportedly intervened to prevent the driver from leaving without settling the fuel bill. The event has drawn immediate police action and reignited conversations regarding safety and lawlessness in the region.

The Incident at Karim Filling Station

The tragedy unfolded in the pre-dawn hours, at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Friday, January 16, 2026. The location was the Karim Filling Station, situated near Goalanda Mor along the busy Dhaka-Khulna highway in the Rajbari Sadar upazila. According to detailed accounts from law enforcement and eyewitnesses, a black Land Cruiser—bearing the registration number Dhaka Metro-Gha 13-3476—pulled into the station for service.

The vehicle received petrol worth approximately Tk 5,000 (roughly ₹3,710). However, the transaction turned deadly when the occupants attempted to drive away without payment. Ripon Saha, who was on duty at the time, acted instinctively to protect his employer's business. He ran onto the road, positioning himself in front of the massive vehicle to block its path and demand the due payment.

Surveillance footage recovered by the authorities paints a grim picture of what followed. Instead of stopping, the driver accelerated. The SUV struck Saha with significant force, crushing him beneath its wheels before speeding away. Jakir Hossain, a fellow worker who had also chased the vehicle in a desperate bid to help, found his colleague's body on the highway. Saha had sustained catastrophic injuries to his head and face and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Action and High-Profile Arrests

Officers from the Ahladipur Highway Police Station responded promptly, recovering the victim's body and sending it for an autopsy before releasing it to his grieving family. Ripon Saha was the son of Pabitra Saha, hailing from Sahapara in the Khan Khanapur area of Rajbari Sadar.

Following a swift investigation aided by the CCTV evidence, police apprehended two suspects: the vehicle's owner, Abul Hashem (55), and his driver, Kamal Hossain (43). The arrest has garnered significant attention due to Hashem's political profile; he is a recognized leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), formerly serving as the treasurer for the party's Rajbari district unit and as president of its youth wing, the Jubo Dal. The vehicle involved has been seized, and a murder case is being prepared against the accused.

Senior police official Ziaur Rahman confirmed the severe nature of the crime to local media outlets. "We will file a murder case. The worker stood in front of the car after they refused to pay for fuel, and they ran him over before fleeing," Rahman stated, noting that the act appeared to be a deliberate escalation of a payment dispute.

A Climate of Fear

While police cite the fuel dispute as the primary motive, the killing has struck a nerve in a country already grappling with heightened communal tensions. The death of Ripon Saha is not viewed in isolation but as the latest in a disturbing series of violent acts targeting Hindus. With general elections on the horizon, fear is palpable within the minority community.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) has raised alarms about this trend. In a recent statement, the Council reported a sharp spike in communal aggression, documenting 51 incidents in December 2025 alone. These attacks are allegedly designed to intimidate minority voters and destabilize the social fabric.

The brutality of recent events was underscored by the horrific lynching of Dipu Das in Mymensingh last month. Das was crushed to death by a violent mob following false allegations of blasphemy. In a display of extreme cruelty, the mob subsequently hung his body from a tree and set it on fire, an image that has haunted the national conscience.

International Concerns

The recurring violence has drawn the attention of neighboring India. New Delhi has repeatedly expressed deep concern regarding the pattern of attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, who constitute approximately 7.95% of Bangladesh’s population. Indian officials have urged the administration in Dhaka to take decisive and visible action to curb these crimes. However, the interim government of Bangladesh continues to deny any organized communal angle behind the rising crime rate against Hindus, often attributing such incidents to isolated criminal acts or political instability [Source: Ministry of External Affairs, India].

This video report provides crucial context regarding the recent mob violence mentioned in the article, specifically the case of Dipu Das, highlighting the atmosphere of fear that the minority community is currently facing.