Bangladesh : Hindu houses and business establishments were attacked by mobs while their valuables were also looted in at least 27 districts in Bangladesh on August-5.

In Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, they vandalised and plundered the house of Pradip Chandra Roy, secretary of Lalmonirhat Puja Udjapan Parishad, in Telipara village in the evening on August -5.

They also ransacked and looted a computer shop owned by Muhin Roy, a municipality member of the district’s Puja Udjapan Parishad, on Thana road. Besides, homes of four Hindu families were vandalised and looted in Chandrapur village in the district’s Kaliganj upazila.

In Hatibandha upazila’s Purbo Sardubi village, 12 Hindu houses were torched last night, reports our district correspondent. In Panchagarh, several Hindu houses were vandalised and looted in Sadar upazila.

Monindra Kumar Nath, senior joint general secretary of the Oikya Parishad, said the local newsmen they never thought they would see such attacks on their community. “There are no areas or districts left where communal attacks have not taken place. We’re continuously getting reports from different parts of the country about attacks on houses and business establishments.

“They’re crying, saying they are being beaten up, and their houses and businesses are being looted. What is our fault? Is it our fault that we are citizens of the country?” Mentioning that the Hindus in the country are fearing more attacks, Monindra asked, “Where would we go if such attacks continue here? How can we console the members of the Hindu community?”

In Dinajpur town and other upazilas, at least 10 Hindu houses came under attack.The attackers also tried to vandalise a temple at Railbazarhat in the town, but locals obstructed it. Sources said the houses of late Koilash Chandra Roy of Barabandar area; Nitya Gopal of Barabandar; Bunu Biswas of Gunjabari area; and Roma Kanta Roy of Biral upazila, in Dinajpur came under attack.

In Khansama upazila, three Hindu homes were attacked, said Uttam Kumar Roy, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu-Buddha Christian Oikya Parishad. Goutam Mazumder, assistant organising secretary of the Oikya Parishad in Laxmipur, said over 200-300 attackers torched his two-storey building around 7:30pm on August -5.

In Khulna, the houses of the Oikya Parishad President, Biman Bihari Amit, and Jubo Oikya Parishad President Animesh Sarker Rintu were ransacked around 5:00pm. The homes of Shyamal Kumar Das and Swajan Kumar Das of Haisgati village under Rupsha Police Station were also attacked and looted.

Biman added that they were getting reports of attacks and looting of Hindu houses and business establishments in Rupsha, Paikgachha, and other upazilas. In Barishal’s Gouranadi, mobs attacked, vandalised, and looted the house of Aditri Adhikary at Mahilara Union around 6:00pm, said Anwar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Gouranadi Police Station.

He added they were also getting reports of attacks on other Hindu homes and establishments across the district. Oikya Parishad General Secretary Tapan Kumar Chakrabarty of Bogura said a warehouse and a shop of his were looted at Sathmatha and Sonatola.

Another warehouse owned by a Hindu family was also looted at Sathmatha, he said.In Patuakhali, a Hindu house and a temple were attacked, vandalised, and set on fire, our district correspondent reports.

Ananta Mukherjee said a group of 20 to 25 attackers suddenly carried out the attack. Oikya Parishad claimed that there were attacks in 21 more districts and gave details on a few of them. In Sherpur, the house of Sreebordi upazila Jubo Oikya Parishad President was vandalised and looted.

In Narsingdi, Puja Udjapan Parishad member Dipak Saha’s house and office suffered the same fate.In Kishoreganj, two Hindu houses were set ablaze in Kuliarchar. In Chattogram’s Raozan upazila, two other Hindu homes were attacked and ransacked.

In Jashore, the warehouse of Babul Saha, chairman of Bhagarpara’s Narikelbaria, was attacked and looted, while 22 shops of Hindu community there were looted, and several houses vandalised and plundered.

In Satkhira, several shops belonging to the Hindu community were ransacked and looted in Kolaroa area. The house of Biswajit Sadhu, the Oikya Parishad president, was looted and torched. In Habiganj, the shop of Asit Baran Das, Shayestaganj upazila Oikya Parishad president, was attacked.

In Narail, Hindu homes were attacked and plundered in Lohagara upazila. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust in a statement demanded that the Bangladesh Army and administration identify the perpetrators of the arson, vandalism, and lootings, and take appropriate steps for the security of the minorities.

“An anarchic situation is prevailing across the country, which is illegal and against the constitution. Article 32 of the constitution states that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty save in accordance with law. Article 28(1) of the constitution states that the state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.”

It also urged everyone to ensure public safety and maintain peace. A news item on the violance was published in the national daily newspaper named the daily star on August-6.