Fault lines grow deeper in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has seen a series of targeted attacks on religious sites, businesses and houses of those belonging to the Hindu community since October 13. Roudro Rahaman reports on the incidents of violence in the country that has triggered a sense of fear and helplessness among the thousands of Hindus living there

It was early morning on October 13. A young man dialled 999 (Bangladesh’s emergency service number) to inform the police about the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue at Nanua Dighir Par in Cumilla city under Chattogram division. A photograph showing the Quran placed on the knee of a Hindu deity had gone viral on social media. Within a few minutes, the officer in charge of the Kotwali police station reached the spot in plain clothes. According to different accounts, the officer was alone at that time.

Unknown to the police officer, a man named Foyez Ahmed had gone live on Facebook from the same spot sometime between 7 a.m. and 7.30 a.m., and can be heard saying, “Muslims, wake up.” Soon after the Facebook live chat, young men started congregating at the venue, their numbers increasing by the hour. Sensing trouble, a team of police officers arrived at the spot around 10 a.m. There were efforts to calm down the angry mob, but a few young men demanded that the puja celebrations be stopped immediately. Some of them started hurling stones at the venue around 11 a.m. and by 11.30 a.m., the mandap was vandalised.