A mob of Muslims attacked the Hindus temple in Bangladesh, resulting in seven people dead and hundreds injured.
It is known that the communal violence was sparked by photos that went viral on social media showing Quran was allegedly placed on the knee of the Hindu deity – Hanuman – during the Puja Durga festival.
The alleged desecration of the Quran that occurred in the Cumilla district quickly sparked the anger of Muslims, which later turned into a nationwide protest. During the demonstration, police used live fire to disperse the protesters, killed four Muslims on the spot, and injured several others.
Dozens of Hindu community properties, including shops, temples, and houses, were targeted by unidentified men in this attack.
According to the sources in the police, there have been around 500 suspects arrested in this regard. The government has deployed Bangladeshi border guards in 22 of the 64 administrative districts to stop the spread of this violence. The elite Rapid Action Battalion has also been placed on high alert.
Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, said that a thorough investigation is underway to track down those involved in the incident. She emphasized that no matter what religion they belong to, the punishment will still be given as severely as possible so that similar incidents do not happen again in the future.
Bangladesh’s Minister of Home Affairs, Asaduzzman Khan, announced that 45 had been held accountable for this attack and many more will follow. While ensuring support for the minority community, he also guarantees that strict action will be taken against the culprits.
Radical Hindu groups in India have called for a boycott of Bangladeshi products and called on Muslims in India to condemn the violence.
The leader of other ultra-hardliner Hindu groups such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Purna Chandra Mandal, also shares the opinion by saying that if Muslims in India do not condemn the violence in Bangladesh, they will be seen as supporting it.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Hasina hopes that nothing will happen in India that could affect the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
