Reportedly, the trouble began when allegations of the desecration of the Holy Quran during Durga Puja celebrations spread like wildfire across various social media platforms.
London: Recent incidents of harrowing communal violence against minority Hindus have rocked Bangladesh.
The targeted violence led to Hindu places of worship being vandalised and law enforcement agencies had to resort to using firearms in order to control the frenzied mobs. The government had deployed additional paramilitary troops in all 22 districts after initial religious tensions and disharmony was reported in the city of Cumilla.
Reportedly, the troubles began when the allegations of the desecration of the Holy Quran during Durga Puja celebrations spread like wildfire across various social media platforms. A mob of almost 500 extremists gathered in Cumilla to avenge the alleged act, and started vandalising Hindu places of worship, shops and residences indiscriminately. Later, the communal violence further spread to the capital, Dhaka, as well as to the southern town of Begumganj.
In the city of Feni, which is almost 160 kilometres from the capital Dhaka fresh reports of vandalism and mob robbings were reported—targeting specifically Hindus and other minority-owned businesses and establishments.
Mass protests and demonstrations condemning the violence have also been reported across Bangladesh. Journalists, members of civil society, academicians and other activists denounced this communalization in one voice. In the clash in Feni, almost 40 people including the officer in charge of police were severely injured.
Zealots started a riot, vandalising Hindu idols, temples and shops in Chandpur, Chattogram, Noakhali, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Kurigram and other districts. Durga idols were vandalised in Munshiganj and Kishoreganj on 16 October. In another incident, a mob of around 20 attacked the famous ISKCON temple at Noakhali and caused significant damages to the same. A devotee was brutally murdered during the attack.
Meanwhile, ISKCON has sought the intervention of the United nations to end this vicious cycle of communal violence, and has urged them to send a delegation to Bangladesh to assess the ground situation.
The ruling government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised that no stone will remain unturned to bring the perpetrators to book and that this deliberate act to disrupt the communal fabric of the country will not be tolerated whatever be the cost. The minority groups, and other spokesmen have given a very strong message to the government through continued hunger strikes throughout the country. The Blue panel teachers of Dhaka University, civil society groups on 17 October strongly condemned the vandalism at multiple Durga Puja venues across the country.
As per reports, hunger strikes would be initiated next week throughout major global capitals including London, in front of the Bangladesh High Commissions and Embassies to ensure that the government acts quickly.
The state minister for Information and Broadcasting Hasan Mahmud has hinted towards the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the radical group of Jamaat-e-Islami, for engineering this communal incitement.
This was a deliberate tool in their hands, Mahmud said, to provoke communal outrage across the country and thus embarking on a heinous path of hatred.
The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has demanded exemplary punishment and a quick judicial inquiry into the whole incident.
In 2021 Bangladesh celebrates its 50th independence anniversary, marking an end to the brutal Pakistani occupation. It is pertinent to mention that there were groups of local collaborators who were hand in glove with their Pakistani masters. Even till today, a segment of the Bangladeshi society is sympathetic to events that happened 50 years ago and the Pakistani deep state funds these groups in order to kindle the fire of vengeance and violence through various means. With the recent power shift in Afghanistan, the radical elements with support from neighbour in Pakistan have embarked upon their road map of creating an environment of fear and violence in the entire South Asia.
The Hindu community is the largest amongst the minorities in Bangladesh who almost make up 10% of the country’s population. In August, four Hindu temples were attacked in the Khulna region of the country, and prior to that, in March, on the 50th anniversary of independence, violence broke out after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to the country.
The law enforcement agencies have filed legal proceedings in 102 cases and a total of over 20,619 people are under the scanner for inciting the string of violence. A further 583 of them have been arrested so far and are being questioned by the appropriate agencies to get to the bottom of the matter.
Financial assistance, food, clothes, and other essential commodities including house construction materials have been provided to the affected families of the minority community by the Government of Bangladesh.
The key suspect in the case a 35-year-old man by the name of Iqbal Hossain, who was arrested from the Cox’s Bazar area late Thursday night. He allegedly placed a copy of the Holy Quran at the Durga Puja pandal in Cumilla.
This year, a total of 32,118 Durga Puja pandals (places of worship) were erected throughout the country, and approximately 238 in capital of Dhaka alone. It remains to be seen what the law enforcement agencies deduce from their investigation and the possibility of any intelligence breach which might have led to an earlier control of this curse. The auspicious celebrations of Kali Puja and Diwali afre due to take place in the first week of November and hopefully, the authorities will be better prepared to thwart any such untoward instances.