Dhaka, 6 August: After the resignation of Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh, incidents of attacks on people of non-Muslim community including Hindus, Buddhists are continuing. Incidents of violence, vandalism, looting and arson are increasing in various districts. In this atmosphere of instability, the minority community is being targeted, which is posing a serious threat to their security.
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Aikya Parishad on Tuesday evening released a list of attacks on the houses and places of worship of non-Muslim community (Hindu, Buddhist and Christian) across the country during the last two days. According to this, the house of the President of Yuvak Ekta Parishad in Shatribardi of Sherpur was attacked and looted. Similarly, the houses of Shyamal Kumar Das and Swajan Kumar Das were attacked in Haisgati village of Rupsa police station in Khulna. In Khulna district itself, the houses of Zila Ekta Parishad president Biman Bihari Amit and Yuvak Ekta Parishad president Animesh Sarkar Rintu at Tutpara were also attacked and looted.
Jayant Gain’s house in Amtali of Banisanta in Dakope was attacked. At the same time, houses of minority families were attacked, vandalized and looted in many other areas of Khulna. Durga temple was attacked in Feni. Phultala crematorium was captured in Dinajpur and five temples including Kali temple of Parbatipur were vandalized.
Incidents of attack and looting on the houses of minority families are continuing in Setabganj Bochaganj of Dinajpur. Houses of minorities (Hindus) were also attacked and vandalized in Dhalla village of Chirirport police station. The house and office of Puja Udayapan Parishad leader Deepak Saha in Narsingdi were attacked and looted.
Gautam Majumdar’s house in Chandraganj in Lakshmipur was attacked, vandalized, looted and set on fire. The houses of Nakul Kumar and Sushanta were set on fire in Agorpur village of Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj. Ujjal Chakraborty’s house was attacked in Raujan, Chittagong.
Three houses were set on fire in Dhopadi Palpada village of Abhaynagar in Yashore. 22 shops including the warehouse of chairman Bablu Saha were vandalised and looted in Bagharpara Narikel Baria. Minority houses were attacked, vandalised and looted in many other areas of Yashore.
The house of District Ekta Parishad president Biswajit Sadhu was attacked, looted and set on fire in Satkhira. The house of Ekta Parishad central co-organising secretary Dr. Subrata Ghosh was also attacked in the same district.
The shop of Upazila Ekta Parishad president Asit Baran Das was attacked in Shayestganj market of Habiganj. Minority houses were attacked, vandalised, looted and raped in Lohargada of Narikel. Five to seven shops of minorities were vandalised and looted in Badegula Tilpatti of Bogura.
56 places attacked in two days
The list of attacks on the minority community released by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council on Tuesday mentions 56 incidents. In fact, on Monday, Rana Dasgupta, the council’s president and a prominent advocate of Bangladesh’s minority movement, had made a list of 45 minority-persecution incidents in 29 areas. On Tuesday, 11 more areas have been added to this list.
These areas include:
Sherpur, Khulna, Feni, Dinajpur, Narsingdi, Lakshmipur, Kishoreganj, Chittagong, Yashore, Satkhira, Habiganj, Narail, Bogura, Patuakhali, Panchagarh, Noakhali, Thakurgaon, Jhenaidah, Pabna, Nilphamari, Tangail, Jhalakathi, Shariatpur, Lalmonirhat, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Munsiganj, Chandpur and Narayanganj, Mawa, Faridpur, Joypurhat, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Manikganj, Dhaka, Sylhet, Brahmanbaria, Comilla and Narail. These areas witnessed fresh attacks on Tuesday. In view of these incidents, the Council has formed a six-member steering committee, whose member secretary will be Manindra Nath.
In view of this situation, the international community and the Government of Bangladesh have been appealed to take immediate and effective steps to ensure the safety of the minority community. The Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has stressed the need for immediate action in view of the seriousness of these incidents.
It is clear from these incidents that since the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, there has been a serious threat to the safety of the minority community. The international community and the Bangladesh government need to take quick and effective steps to stop these violent incidents and ensure the safety of the minority community.
It is noteworthy that on behalf of the Government of India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has expressed concern in the House on Tuesday about the atrocities being committed on the minority community in Bangladesh. He has said that India is monitoring the situation.
