Overview
- Police and relatives say businessman Pintu Das, his wife Rimi, their sons Priyam and Rupam, and another relative have been missing since August 20 and were last seen at a rented house in Chandpur.
- Chandpur investigators are probing reports that Das lent money against pledged gold and that several clients have not had jewellery returned, and officials say they are examining whether the family left voluntarily or was the victim of a crime.
- A separate incident in Rangpur this month saw a retired Hindu schoolteacher and three family members killed, two suspects arrested, and the case moved to the specialised detective branch after questions about the initial police account.
- Human rights groups point to a July HRCBM report that documented 824 verified abuses against religious minorities, including 116 targeted killings, and the UN has issued security warnings that activists say increase the need for impartial investigations.
- Local relatives and minority leaders say the disappearance has heightened community fear and could prompt sustained pressure for forensic, independent inquiries and tighter protection for vulnerable religious minorities.