Bangladesh: Pir killed over alleged insult to Islam; Hindu homes attacked in separate incidents

Bangladesh, which witnessed a political change in recent times with the BNP coming to power after winning the general polls, is still witnessing communal tensions.

In Rangpur, in the country’s northwest, an angry mob targeted several Hindu households and businesses in the early hours following the killing of a Muslim boy, Rakib Hassan, Moneycontrol reported.

The area has a significant Hindu population.

A large number of Hindu community members live in the Daspapra market area where the murder occurred.

A “third party” may have carried out the attacks to divert attention from the investigation into Hassan’s death, officials told the news portal.

According to media reports, Hassan was allegedly killed by a suspected drug peddler, Mohammad Momin, following a prior dispute.

Momin has since then gone into hiding, and his residence has remained vacant.

Authorities Moneycontrol that the victim’s family had ruled out any role of the Hindu community in the killing.

“But we are tracking down the real killers. We have also identified who have vandalised the Hindu households and shops,” Rangpur police commissioner Mohammad Majid Ali told Moneycontrol.

Pir Killed

In a separate incident, a Muslim spiritual leader was beaten and hacked to death during an attack on his shrine in Kushtia.

His shrine was not only vandalised but also set on fire.

The deceased person was identified as Shamim Reza.

Kushtia Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jashim Uddin confirmed the incident to Prothom Alo and said a video of the man making controversial remarks about Islam had spread on social media.

The video was reportedly recorded long ago but the attack on the shrine was launched recently after it resurfaced.

The police chief told the newspaper, “The situation in the area is now calm. A large number of law enforcement personnel have been deployed. We are investigating who brought the old video back into circulation. I am heading to the area myself and will reach there shortly.”

Fragile situation in Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council on Thursday (9th April) expressed deep concern over the continuation of communal violence across Bangladesh in the three months leading up to the 13th parliamentary elections.

In a press release signed by the council’s acting general secretary Monindra Kumar Nath, it was stated that between January 1 and March 31, 133 communal violence incidents were reported in the media.

These included 25 killings, 4 cases of rape or other violence against women, 35 attacks on temples and looting, and 69 other incidents, including assaults on various indigenous and ethnic communities in the hills and plains.

According to the release, January saw 46 incidents, including 11 killings, one rape, nine temple attacks, one attack on ethnic communities, 15 cases of assault, robbery, arson, threats, and looting of homes and businesses, three land grab incidents, one extortion case, and five other incidents.

In February, there were 50 incidents, comprising eight killings, one rape, 15 temple attacks, one case of religious desecration, 17 cases of assault, robbery, arson, threats, and looting, six land grabs, one abduction, and one other incident.

March recorded 37 incidents, including six killings, two cases of rape or sexual harassment, 11 temple attacks, one religious desecration, one attack on ethnic communities, seven cases of assault, robbery, arson, threats, and looting, four land grabs, and five other incidents.