I am raising this fundraiser for my friend Liptu Das — a wildlife rescuer in Bangladesh who is living under serious threat and desperately wants to protect his family, especially his little son.

Liptu has spent years risking his own life as a member of the Bangladesh Snake Rescue Team, helping both people and animals in dangerous situations. Hindus, who make up only about 8% of the population, have faced discrimination for a long time. After the political changes of 5 August 2024, the danger increased sharply. In the months that followed, attacks occurred at more than 450 police stations across the country involving the killing of police officers and widespread arson. Many Hindu homes were also deliberately set on fire — and this pattern of violence is still continuing.

Liptu has already survived two physical attacks by wildlife traffickers. He continues to receive multiple death threats, especially after he spoke out about the violence against minorities. What terrifies him most is the future of his two-year-old son, Laxman. He does not want his little boy to grow up in constant fear and insecurity.

The situation has been widely reported, including the brutal killing of Dipu Chandra Das (who was beaten and set on fire by a mob) and the recent murder of Hindu religious teacher Ganapati Chakraborty along with his wife and two children in Rangpur. Credible international organizations have also documented these attacks. 
 

Liptu’s only hope is to move to a safer country in Europe on a work-permit visa, rebuild his life, and later bring his family to safety. Unfortunately, the Bangladeshi passport ranks very low (around 97th in the world), making direct visas extremely difficult. Most people in this situation have to go through agencies costing $15,000 — money Liptu simply does not have. Even running his family’s daily expenses has become a real struggle right now.

Your support will help Liptu take the first critical step toward safety for himself and his little son. Once he is settled and working, his goal is to bring his entire family out of danger.

Any amount you can give — no matter how small — will make a meaningful difference in their lives.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this and for standing with Liptu and little Laxman.

With deep gratitude,

Fran Kesselman