Bangladesh PM vows to hunt down, punish those who vandalised Temples

Dhaka: The Muslim bigots who vandalised some Hindu temples in Bangladesh and killed at least four people in the arson during Durga Puja celebrations will be "hunted down and punished," vowed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In order to bring the violence under control, Border Guards Bangladesh took the law and order situation of the 22 districts on the order of PM Hasina.

The elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the armed police were also ordered to be on guard with the BGB in 22 of the 64 administrative districts and elsewhere to contain any violence, he said.

Three people were killed and several others injured during clashes between Muslims and the police at Hajiganj sub-district in Chandpur, bordering Cumilla on Wednesday while the fourth one succumbed to his wounds later.

Prime Minister Hasina promised to bring to justice the culprits behind the violence, saying anyone involved in the attacks on Hindu temples and Durga Puja venues in Comilla will not be spared.

"The incidents in Comilla are being thoroughly investigated. Nobody will be spared. It doesn't matter which religion they belong to. They will be hunted down and punished," she said while exchanging greetings with the Hindu community members during an event at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka on the occasion of Durga Puja. She joined the program from her official Ganabhaban residence through a video conference.

"We are getting a large amount of information. This is an era of technology and those involved in the incident will definitely be tracked down with the use of the technology," Hasina said.

She also urged India to remain vigilant against an escalation of any communal violence. "We expect that nothing happens there (in India) which could influence any situation in Bangladesh affecting our Hindu community here," she said.

Authorities enforced a ban on rallies in Haziganj where officials confirmed the deaths of four people in gunshots, adding that two others were critically injured in the clashes.

The police said that a couple of their officials were injured as the mob attacked them and vandalised their and local administrators' cars.

They, however, did not explain if the casualties were caused due to the police actions but media reports said that the police opened fire on a mob of over 500 people.

According to the officials, the police were alerted about an alleged blasphemy incident at a Durga Puja pavilion in Cumilla, about 100 km from here, after which a probe was launched.

However, violence erupted as bigots attacked temples in parts of Cumilla, neighbouring Haziganj, northwestern coastal sub-districts of Hatia and Banskhali while social media was used largely to instigate the communal tensions.

Hindu religious leaders called the violence part of a plot to upset the Durga Puja celebrations and demanded action against the bigots and protection of Hindu temples and establishments.

A particular group committed the blasphemy at the pavilion to stop the Durga Puja by staging protests, secretary of Cumilla district puja celebration committee Nirmol Pal said.

The police said that they have so far detained 43 people in connection with the violence. People who posted the first video on the Cumilla puja venue on social media were also under custody.

"Investigations are underway and we are identifying the culprits also using security camera footage," police's deputy inspector general Anwar Hossain told the media in Cumilla.

Ruling Awami League general secretary and road transport minister Obaidul Qader said that "fanatic elements" staged attacks on Hindu temples at 10 to 12 places with a political motive.

"But our government led by (Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina will not let them proceed with their evil design," he told reporters visiting a Puja pavilion at the Ramkrishna Mission here.

He cautioned people against spreading rumours to sever the interfaith harmony in the country, adding that Hasina has ordered stringent actions against the communal elements.

"We will remain alert," the minister said.

The religious affairs ministry issued an emergency notice, urging members of the public not to take the law into their hands as it reiterated calls to maintain communal harmony and peace, it said.

Hindus make up some 10 per cent of Muslim-majority Bangladesh's 169 million population. In the past several years, there have been reports of sporadic violence, mostly sparked by rumours spread on social media.

With PTI inputs