Narsingdi Police Probe Hindu Man’s Death in Garage Fire as Suspicious

A 25-year-old Hindu man was burnt to death after a fire broke out at a shop in Narsingdi on Friday night, prompting a police investigation amid concerns over suspicious activity captured on CCTV footage. The victim, identified as Chanchal Bhowmik, was reportedly asleep inside a garage attached to the shop when the blaze erupted.

Narsingdi Police Superintendent Abdullah Al Faruque said CCTV footage from the area shows a person moving near the site around the time of the incident. Speaking to news agency ANI, he said investigators are examining whether the fire was triggered by an electrical fault or caused by an external factor. “We have collected footage from the CCTV cameras and observed suspicious movement. The investigation is ongoing,” he said.

According to police, the fire originated inside the shop where Bhowmik was sleeping. Fire service personnel reportedly broke open the shutter in an attempt to rescue him, but he was found dead by the time they gained entry. His body was discovered in a severely charred condition, officials said.

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Superintendent Faruque confirmed that no arrests have been made so far and that multiple angles are being examined to determine the cause of the fire. Authorities said forensic assessments and further review of surveillance footage are underway to establish whether the incident was accidental or deliberate.

The killing comes amid a series of recent incidents involving members of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority. In December, a Hindu man was lynched and set on fire following rumors of blasphemy that were later found to be false. In other recent cases, Hindu shop owners and residents have been killed or injured in mob-related violence in different parts of the country, according to local media and police statements.

The incident also unfolds against a backdrop of heightened security concerns ahead of Bangladesh’s national elections scheduled for February 12, 2026. With rising communal tensions and political uncertainty, minority safety has drawn international attention. Official data shared earlier this month indicated that 645 incidents involving minority communities were reported across Bangladesh in 2025, though authorities noted that a majority were assessed as non-communal in nature.

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