The minority Hindu community in Bangladesh has been living in fear ever since the federal elections in Bangladesh were conducted on 7th January this year.
As per a report by the Bangladeshi newspaper ‘The Daily Ittefaq’, the Hindus had to brave arson attacks, forcing many to flee their homes.
There have been communal attacks across Bangladesh including Faridpur, Sirajganj, Bagerhat, Jhenaidah, Pirojpur, Kushtia, Madaripur, Lalmonirhat, Daudkandi, Thakurgaon, Munshiganj and Gaibandha.
On 7th January 2023, two Hindus named Piplu Saha and Ranjan Saha, supporters of the Awami League party, were brutally attacked by sharp weapons at the Begum Amena Sultan Govt. Girls’ High School in Daudkandi in Comilla.
On the same day, Islamists associated with the Awami League attacked the homes of Hindu supporters of independent candidate AK Azad in the Faridpur-3 constituency of Bangladesh.
According to The Daily Ittefaq, about 15 people were injured in Majhipara in the post-poll communal violence. Two Hindus namely Suresh Chowdhury and Pankaj Chand were attacked by Awami League supporters in Boalkhali Upazila in Chittagong.
Attacks on Hindu community continue unabated
The shop of Bhogirath Chandra Roy and his son Rajesh Roy was also vandalised by local leader Moshiur Rahman Mridha along with his nephew Sifat Mridha.
On 8th January 2023, Rajesh Roy was attacked while he was en route to the market. The Hindu man was hacked with sharp weapons. He suffered injuries to his eyes and knee.
Bangladeshi freedom fighter Keshab Lal Mandal informed that houses, shops and businesses of Hindu community leaders, who supported independent candidates, were attacked on the night of polling. MP Habibun Nahar is accused of orchestrating the attack.
Islamists associated with the Awami League attacked four Hindu houses in Kulipatti village in the Gaibandha-5 constituency. They took away 8 goats, amounting to Tk 5 lakh from the house of a Hindu man named Shibu Roy.
The Hindu family is said to be a supporter of independent candidate Farzana Rabi. On the following day, it came to light that the houses of the Hindu communities were attacked and looted in Debhatta and Sirajganj.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council informed that minorities were intimidated with batons and sharp weapons in Lalmonirhat upazila on 6th January 2023.
It added that two Hindus named Roshani Roy and Jaydev Barman were attacked in Thakurgaon-1 constituency by BNP-Jamaat workers while they were returning home after casting vote at Tenai Tola Primary School Center. Many Hindus have been forced to flee their homes.
Bangladeshi Hindus protest against communal violence
On Saturday (20th January), the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, demanding a complete cessation of the post-poll communal attacks against the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Demonstrations were also organised in Khulna and Barisal. They have demanded immediate action against the culprits and ensure the safety and security of the minority community.
Although the administration has taken action in this regard, the situation is far from being under control.
Bangladesh: Masked man sets 150-year-old Buddhist monastery on fire
On 5th January night, a fire broke out at the entrance of an ancient Buddhist monastery in the Cheranghata area in Ramu upazila in Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh.
According to the officer-in-charge of Ramu police station Abu Taher Dewan, the incident took place at 2 a.m. when the priests of the 150-year-old monastery were asleep. Dewan said that after the priests shouted for help, the locals came to the rescue and doused the fire.
he fire that broke out at the 150-year-old monastery completely gutted the stairs. It must be mentioned that the holy shrine is sacred to the Rakhine community of Cheranghata. A large contingent of police was deployed in the area in the aftermath of the incident.
The cops began investigating the matter and analysing CCTV footage in the area. They were trying to determine whether the incident was an accident or an act of sabotage.
It later emerged that a ‘masked man’ scaled the wall of the monastery, poured kerosene on the staircase and set it on fire. The development was confirmed by Rapid Action Battalion-5 spokesperson Jamilul Haque.
“Everything will be clear once we identify the youth in the CCTV footage and the person who called the Fire Service,” remarked Officer-in-charge of Ramu police station Abu Taher Dewan.
