At least 18 shops at a local bazar of Patgram upazila were vandalised and looted
Masked criminals attacked nearly two dozen shops of the Hindu community
at a remote village in Lalmonirhat on Sunday night, fuelling concerns
over a fresh spell of attacks on the members of the community.
At least 18 shops at a local bazar of Shafinagar village of Bawra union, in Patgram upazila, were vandalised and looted, causing an estimated Tk3m in damage. The attack was allegedly launched by activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The victims said the attackers had threatened them with “fatal consequences” if they reported the incident or disclosed their identities to the police or the press.
There are about 52 Hindu families living in the village and nearly half of the 50 shops situated in the bazar are either owned or rented by the Hindu villagers, who had been known for living peacefully side by side with their Muslim neighbours.
On that night, however, only the shops owned by the Hindus were targeted, and three shops operated by them were spared because those belonged to the Muslim community.
A victim, wishing anonymity, held the BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists responsible for the attack and said he and his family still felt “insecure” as the attackers maintained “a heavy presence” in the area even after the incident.
Another victim, also refusing to be named, said the opposition activists first entered the bazar shouting slogans in support of the hartal, but all hell broke loose when some of them, wearing masks, suddenly walked out of the procession and started vandalising shops.
“Hartal supporters launched a premeditated attack on those shops and looted valuables worth millions. They even tried to attack local Hindu villagers but were fended off by the latter,” Sanjoy Dutta, general secretary of Awami League-Bawra unit said.
However, President of BNP-Bawra unit Shamsul Alam denied allegations of BNP involvement in the incident but refused to comment on Jamaat involvement.
The incident was confirmed by Bawra UP Chairman Habibur Rahman Bosuniya, also a local Jatiya Party leader, who accused police of “negligence” for their failure to reach the spot until on Monday afternoon.
In this regard, Sohrab Hossain, officer in charge of Patgram police station, said he had received reports on the incident in time but could not send police teams at the spot because of “manpower shortage.”
Backlash in Jhenaidah
Several business establishments of Hindu community and local Awami League supporters came under attack at the Hariankundu upazila town in Jhenaidah on Monday afternoon after the murder of a local BNP leader earlier in the day.
Sources said a group of unknown criminals killed BNP leader and Daulatpur UP Chairman Abul Hossain at a local marketplace in Hariankundu, provoking a violent backlash from the opposition activists who went on to damage several shops, set fire to another one, and loot valuables.
Most of the shops were closed due to the opposition’s nationwide hartal. Sukesh Chandra Karmnaker, a jewellery businessman, said about 20 youths launched the attack soon after the murder, and his was one of stores damaged during that time.
He also said the attackers had targeted only shops owned by Awami League supports and members of the Hindu community.
Fearing further violence, local administration in the evening imposed section-144 in the town for an indefinite period.
Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune
At least 18 shops at a local bazar of Shafinagar village of Bawra union, in Patgram upazila, were vandalised and looted, causing an estimated Tk3m in damage. The attack was allegedly launched by activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The victims said the attackers had threatened them with “fatal consequences” if they reported the incident or disclosed their identities to the police or the press.
There are about 52 Hindu families living in the village and nearly half of the 50 shops situated in the bazar are either owned or rented by the Hindu villagers, who had been known for living peacefully side by side with their Muslim neighbours.
On that night, however, only the shops owned by the Hindus were targeted, and three shops operated by them were spared because those belonged to the Muslim community.
A victim, wishing anonymity, held the BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists responsible for the attack and said he and his family still felt “insecure” as the attackers maintained “a heavy presence” in the area even after the incident.
Another victim, also refusing to be named, said the opposition activists first entered the bazar shouting slogans in support of the hartal, but all hell broke loose when some of them, wearing masks, suddenly walked out of the procession and started vandalising shops.
“Hartal supporters launched a premeditated attack on those shops and looted valuables worth millions. They even tried to attack local Hindu villagers but were fended off by the latter,” Sanjoy Dutta, general secretary of Awami League-Bawra unit said.
However, President of BNP-Bawra unit Shamsul Alam denied allegations of BNP involvement in the incident but refused to comment on Jamaat involvement.
The incident was confirmed by Bawra UP Chairman Habibur Rahman Bosuniya, also a local Jatiya Party leader, who accused police of “negligence” for their failure to reach the spot until on Monday afternoon.
In this regard, Sohrab Hossain, officer in charge of Patgram police station, said he had received reports on the incident in time but could not send police teams at the spot because of “manpower shortage.”
Backlash in Jhenaidah
Several business establishments of Hindu community and local Awami League supporters came under attack at the Hariankundu upazila town in Jhenaidah on Monday afternoon after the murder of a local BNP leader earlier in the day.
Sources said a group of unknown criminals killed BNP leader and Daulatpur UP Chairman Abul Hossain at a local marketplace in Hariankundu, provoking a violent backlash from the opposition activists who went on to damage several shops, set fire to another one, and loot valuables.
Most of the shops were closed due to the opposition’s nationwide hartal. Sukesh Chandra Karmnaker, a jewellery businessman, said about 20 youths launched the attack soon after the murder, and his was one of stores damaged during that time.
He also said the attackers had targeted only shops owned by Awami League supports and members of the Hindu community.
Fearing further violence, local administration in the evening imposed section-144 in the town for an indefinite period.
Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune
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