Bangladesh minority council announces mass protests over anti-Hindu attacks

The Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Unity Council of Bangladesh has announced a mass protest campaign over the religiously motivated attacks on Hindus in different parts of Bangladesh during the Durga Puja celebrations.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 Oct 2021, 08:11 AM
Updated : 22 Oct 2021, 08:11 AM

As part of the campaign, hunger strikes, sit-ins and demonstrations will be held across the country, including Dhaka and Chattogram, from 6 am to 12 pm Saturday, said Monindra Kumar Nath, joint secretary of the organisation.

The Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council and the Mahanagar Puja Celebration Council have expressed solidarity with the campaign.

Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee, general secretary of Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council the mass hunger strikes will be staged at the divisional, district and sub-district levels, including the capital's Shahbagh and the port city's Andarkilla.

A provocative social media campaign centring the alleged dishonouring of the Quran at a Puja venue in Cumilla on Oct 13 triggered communal violence during which Muslim fanatics carried out attacks on temples and Puja venues in the city, leaving scores of people injured.

Later, Hindu places of worship, houses and businesses were attacked in several other districts including Chandpur, Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni and Rangpur.

A total of 71 cases have since been registered in different districts and about 500 people have been arrested, according to the police.