Hindus attacked in Bangladesh, police detain Jamaat activists

Dhaka: Bangladesh police Tuesday detained two Jamaat-e-Islami activists for their suspected involvement in attacking Hindus and filed cases in this connection in Jessore and Dinajpur districts. Emdad Hossain, officer-in-charge of Abhoynagar police station, said at least 250 people were involved in attacking the houses of the minority Hindu community in Maloparha and Chapatola villages in Jessore district Sunday, reported bdnews24.com.

Rioters vandalised and looted more than 50 Hindu houses in Maloparha. A temporary police camp has been set up in the area, said Reshma Sharmin, assistant superintendent of police. Police blamed the Jamaat and its students wing Islami Chhatra Shibir for the attacks Awami League leader Ranjit Roy, who was elected from Jessore-4 constituency, alleged that Jamaat activists had carried out the attacks. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders alleged that police were blaming the 18-party opposition alliance in order to harass them. Police also detained five people for attacking houses and shops of Hindus at Kornai village in Dinajpur district. Police filed a case against 215 people in connection with the incident, said Altaf Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station. More than 100 houses and shops belonging to Hindu were vandalised and set on fire at Kornai village. Meanwhile, the BNP-led 18-party opposition Tuesday extended its strike till 6 p.m. Wednesday demanding cancellation of the 10th parliamentary polls results and calling for fresh elections under a non-party caretaker government. Earlier, the opposition had called for a 48-hour strike starting from Monday morning.