Hindu Journalist Shot Dead in Bangladesh Amid Extortion, Minority Fear

• Rana Pratap Bairagi, a Hindu journalist in Bangladesh, was shot dead after months of paying 'protection money' to radical Islamists.
• Bairagi, 37, was a voice for minorities in Arua village, Keshabpur upazila, and politically active with the Awami League.
• His family believes his political affiliation and role as a Hindu leader made him a target, especially after Sheikh Hasina's removal from power.
• Hours after Bairagi's murder, another Hindu man, Mani Chakraborty, was lynched, intensifying fear among minorities.
• Villagers report regular extortion by fundamentalist gangs, possibly linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, leading some to consider moving to India.

Why It Matters: Killing of Hindu journalist in Bangladesh highlights rising minority fear, extortion, and political targeting.