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Published : 13 Oct 2023, 10:45 PM
Supporters of AKM Bahauddin Bahar have attacked members of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council protesting against the Awami League MP’s comments that reportedly hurt Hindu sentiments.
Local activists of the ruling party’s youth front Jubo League and student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League attacked the members of the platform of religious minorities at Nazrul Avenue in Cumilla city on Friday morning.
Leaders of the unity council also alleged police barred their demonstration.
Ahmed Sanjur Morshed, chief of Kotwali Police Station, said they stopped the unity council activists from marching towards Pubali Chattar to avoid a conflict with Jubo League and BCL workers rallying in Kandir Par.
“Suddenly, they [Jubo League and BCL] organised a procession and attacked the demonstrators. We tackled the situation. Now the situation is calm,” said Ahmed.
Mushfiqur Rahman, chief of Cumilla district administration, and Md Abdul Mannan, superintendent of police in Cumilla district, visited those injured in the attack at their homes.
Mannan promised legal action over the incident at that time.
Police and members of the unity council said Bahar, the MP from Cumilla-6, said in the Durga Puja security preparations meeting at the DC’s office on Oct 4 that the Hindus will not be allowed to drink alcohol and dance at the festival venues.
“Let’s start pujas free from drugs. Please write over the pandals that this puja is free from drugs,” he said.
His comments angered the Hindus of Cumilla. The unity council then called protests for Friday.
Bahar on Thursday claimed at another event that his comments were distorted, but added that pujas in Cumilla must be free from drugs and alcohol.
He also called Jubo League and BCL rallies for Friday, half a kilometre from the venue chosen by the unity council.
At least four people were injured when the ruling party activists attacked the protesters, according to Tapas Bakshi, general secretary of the unity council’s Cumilla unit.
Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahid, convenor of Cumilla Metropolitan Jubo League, said: “Some of our activists chased the members of the unity council who shouted obscene slogans against our leader Bahar Bhai. But there was no attack.”
