Shikhar Dhawan denounces the alleged attack on a Hindu widow in Bangladesh: "This kind of violence is intolerable."

Jan 07, 2026

New Delhi

The alleged attack on a Hindu widow in Bangladesh has been denounced by a former Indian cricket player, who said that "such violence against anyone, anywhere is unacceptable."

Two men are accused of gang-raping a forty-year-old Hindu woman in Kaliganj, a Jhenaidah subdistrict in Bangladesh. As the nation continues to commit atrocities against minorities, she was also tied to a tree and had her hair chopped off.

Dhawan denounced the act on social media. "Reading about the vicious attack on a Hindu widow in Bangladesh is heartbreaking. It is unacceptable to use such violence against anyone, anywhere. In an X post, Dhawan wrote, "Pray for justice and support for the survivor."

The woman claimed in her police complaint that she paid Shahin and his brother in Ward No. 7 of Kaliganj municipality two million taka for a two-story house and three decimals of land approximately two and a half years ago, according to local media. She claimed that after she turned him down, Shahin started harassing her and making lewd advances.

According to the complaint, Shahin and his associate Hasan broke into the home on Saturday night while two relatives from her village were there and sexually assaulted her. After that, the accused allegedly demanded 50,000 taka, or roughly Rs 37,000.

They allegedly attacked her relatives and drove them away when she refused to pay. The woman also claimed that the men cut off her hair, tied her to a tree, recorded the incident, and shared the footage on social media while she cried out for assistance.

Bangladesh's atrocities against minorities

In Bangladesh, minorities have been singled out. According to police on Wednesday, a 25-year-old Hindu man died after attempting to flee a mob that was pursuing him on suspicion of stealing by jumping into a canal. The incident happened in the Naogaon district's Mahadebpur neighborhood.

Since the death of well-known student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December of last year, Bangladesh has been experiencing unrest, and this is the most recent incident in a string of attacks against Hindus.

The latest incident occurred shortly after a 40-year-old Hindu grocery store owner in Narsingdi city was murdered. Sarat Mani Chakraborty, a Hindu man, was reportedly killed in Bangladesh, according to local media. Around 10 p.m. on Monday, a grocery store owner named Sarat Mani was allegedly attacked with sharp objects in the Narsingdi district. His wounds later claimed his life.