Dhaka, Sep 9 (IANS) Amid escalating attacks on minorities across Bangladesh, two Hindus, including a woman, were killed in separate incidents, raising fresh concerns over the safety of the minority communities in the country, local media reported.

In one of the latest incidents, 45-year-old Alif Chandra Dutta, a Hindu goldsmith, was killed after unidentified assailants attacked him with a sharp weapon while he was returning home from his shop in Mahadebpur upazila of Naogaon district on Monday night.

Citing police and residents, Bangladesh's newspaper Daily Sun reported that Dutta left his jewellery shop at Mahadebpur Bazar at around 8:30 p.m. and was on his way home when the incident occurred.

Around 9 p.m., as he reached near his residence in Dulalpara, a group of assailants stopped him and attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon.

The attackers reportedly robbed him of approximately six 'bhori' of gold and Bangladeshi Taka 7 lakh in cash before fleeing the scene.

Family members and residents later rescued injured Dutta and rushed him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.

Confirming the incident, Mahadebpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Omar Faruk said, "We have not yet been able to confirm whether it was solely a robbery or whether there was any other enmity or motive behind the incident." He added that legal proceedings were underway.

In another incident, 45-year-old Hindu woman Rani Sushil was stabbed to death inside her residence in Maheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar district.

The incident took place around 7:30 p.m. on Monday in Hoanok Union, when an unidentified intruder attacked her while attempting to steal.

According to police and residents, Rani was cooking at home when an unidentified man attempted to enter the house.

After noticing him, she raised an alarm. The intruder then allegedly grabbed her face and repeatedly stabbed her before fleeing the scene, Bangladeshi Bengali daily Prothom Alo reported.

Residents later took injured Rani to Chakaria Upazila Health Complex, where doctors, after a few hours, declared her dead.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Maheshkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdus Sultan said, "Initially, it has been learned that an unidentified person was trying to enter the housewife's house with the intention of stealing. Seeing him, the housewife shouted, 'Thief, thief!' Then the person stabbed the housewife and fled. Efforts are underway to identify and arrest the accused."

These latest incidents come days after a retired Hindu school teacher, Ganapati Chakraborty, and three members of his family were brutally murdered in Bangladesh's Rangpur city.

Bangladesh has witnessed mounting attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, with incidents persisting since the tenure of the former Yunus-led interim government and continuing under the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) administration.

--IANS

scor/sd/