Bangladesh violence: Incident aimed at destroying communal harmony, says Home Minister Azaduzzaman Khan

New Delhi: Bangladesh Home Minister Azaduzzaman Khan on Sunday (October 17, 2021) said that the Comilla incident was planned for destroying the communal harmony of the country. He said that the incident came across as a motivated act instigated by a vested group. 

“The incident was carried out with the ill-motive to destroy religious harmony and to deteriorate law and order situation in Bangladesh. Those involved in the incident will be served exemplary punishment through proper investigation,” said Bangladesh Home Minister. 

“Some people have lost their lives in the Comilla and Hajiganj incident. We express condolences over the loss of lives. Four people have died in Hajiganj, several police officers have been injured too while bringing the situation under control. Later, incidents of violence were reported in Noakhali, Feni & Cox’s Bazaar. Two to three suspects have already been arrested over the Cumilla incident. The perpetrators behind the incident will also be identified and we will put out more information soon,” Bangladesh Home Minister added. 

Additionally, Azaduzzaman Khan also assured the people of the nation that the security forces are working to keep them secure. "No incident has been reported since Saturday night. Our security forces are working with patience and we work on intelligence information. Those who are trying to destroy communal peace will not succeed," said the minister. 

The statement comes after days of communal unrest in the country. In a fresh case of communal unrest, a Hindu temple has been valdalised in Bangladesh by unidentified Muslim bigots who attacked the minority community's places of worship during the Durga Puja celebrations over alleged blasphemy, prompting a minority group to announce a countrywide hunger strike, media reports said on Sunday.

Additionally, four people, including an Imam, were arrested in Bangladesh`s Kishoreganj district in association with the vandalisation and looting of a Hindu temple. According to the police, the arrested persons -- Mamunur Rashid, 22, two teenagers aged 15 and 16 and Kafil Uddin, a

Protest outside Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata

Members of ISKCON Kolkata staged a protest outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata against the attack on temples, puja pandals in Bangladesh.

#WATCH | West Bengal: ISKCON Kolkata sings 'bhajan' and protests outside Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata following the incident where an ISKCON temple in Noakhali, Bangladesh was vandalised and a devotee killed by a mob yesterday. pic.twitter.com/z60fteEFUp — ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2021

Pol parties, civil society in Tripura condemn B'desh violence

Political parties and civil society organisations in Tripura have condemned the recent vandalisation of temples and Durga Puja marquees and attack on Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh, with which the state shares an 856-km-long border, as Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb expressed hope that appropriate action would be taken against the miscreants by the Sheikh Hasina government.

Officials said that Deb had on Saturday telephoned Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram K Doraiswami to know what exactly happened in the neighbouring country and the measures that were being taken to protect the members of the Hindu community.

Bengal Imams Association on violence

Bengal Imams Association, a representative body of Muslims in the eastern state, in a statement issued on Saturday, said that everyone should have been celebrating the festival of amity and brotherhood in Bangladesh, where at least 32,000 Durga Pujas are organised.

"Instead, some people with vested interests sowed the seeds of communal poison by circulating images of a stray incident at a pandal in Comilla to carry out large-scale arson at several puja marquees.

"Knowledge of rocket science is not needed to understand the sinister game plan to create a rift among members of two communities by these forces, who are not glorifying any religion by such acts. Being members of the minority community in India, we feel the mental state of the Hindus in Bangladesh who are a minority in that country. We stand by them at this hour," Association Chairman Md Yahia said in the statement.

(With Agency inputs)