Vandalism and violence continued to threaten the safety of minorities in Bangladesh through the weekend as the Hindu minority community celebrated one of its biggest festivals. The series of attacks started on Wednesday after communal clashes broke out in Comilla.
The incident in Comilla was allegedly instigated by fake images depicting the desecration of the Islamic Quran, which went viral on Wednesday. Following this, several mobs attacked puja mandals, which had been set up by the country’s minority Hindu community to celebrate Durga puja. Thereafter, violence continued to spread across the country, with over 80 puja mandals in Comilla attacked. The worst such incident was reported in Hajiganj, Chittagong, where security forces opened fire on a mob that had orchestrated an attack on a temple. Four died and several others were injured in the incident.
Consequently, Bangladeshi authorities arrested over 4000 protestors. According to the Dhaka Tribune, only around 11 people have been identified, while the others remained unnamed.
India said that it continues to be in close contact with the authorities in Bangladesh. A statement by the Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, read: “We have seen some disturbing reports of untoward incidents involving attacks on religious gatherings in Bangladesh. We note that the government of Bangladesh has reacted promptly to ensure control of the situation, including the deployment of law enforcement machinery.”
Soon after the incident, Bangladeshi Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina vowed to take action against those responsible for the attacks. Speaking at a virtual conference, she said, “A thorough investigation is under way in the incidents in Comilla. Nobody will be spared. We are getting a lot of information about the incident. It doesn’t matter which religion they belong to. They will be hunted down and punished.”
In addition, Bangladeshi Minister of Home Affairs, Asaduzzaman Khan, said that the incidents were “pre-planned” by a “vested group” and aimed to cause communal unrest in the country. He said, “Not only in Comilla, but attempts were also made to destabilize the country previously through communal violence in Ramu and Nasirnagar.” Furthermore, he vowed to extend “exemplary punishments” to those responsible for the attacks.
However, despite promises from the Bangladeshi authorities, minorities continue to be threatened in Bangladesh. A violent mob attacked the ISKCON temple and several devotees. According to a tweet by ISKCON, the temple suffered “significant damage” and several devotees remain in critical condition. The company has also written to Indian PM Narendra Modi to seek his intervention into the matter. Similar incidents were reported in Chandpur’s Hajiganj, Chattogram’s Banshkhali, and Cox’s Bazar's Pekua. Apart from temples, there has also been a rise in the number of attacks on minority-owned businesses.
To counter the rising number of violent communal clashes, the Bangladeshi government has deployed paramilitary forces.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council is organising a hunger strike in Dhaka and Chittagong on October 23 to protest against these rising attacks.
Violent Attacks Against Hindus in Bangladesh Threaten Communal Harmony
The series of incidents were instigated by viral fake images that showed the Islamic Quran being desecrated at puja mandals, which caused a series of communal clashes across the country.
October 18, 2021
SOURCE: FREE PRESS JOURNAL