Sumon Mahbub
Senior Correspondent
Cox's Bazaar, Oct 8 (bdnews24.com)—Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday visited the Buddhist temples and houses in Ramu upazila damaged in the Sep 29 communal attacks and questioned the role of the local BNP lawmaker.
She said the government already had some information on the perpetrators and stated that they would be captured soon.
A day after the attacks, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir had also pointed the finger at the MP from Cox's Bazar-3 constituency Lutfor Rahman Kajal without naming him. Kajal in a rejoinder alleged that the minister's remarks were politically motivated and an attempt to shield the perpetrators.
The BNP has been alleging that the government instigated the Ramu incident.
Hasina also laid the blame on the MP without taking names.
"The Leader of Opposition in Parliament is blaming the Awami League for the incident. But I ask, what did the local MP do when everyone including the administration was trying to calm down the situation?"
Without naming Kajal, Hasina said, "He (Kajal) was here for half an hour and left at 12am. The incident took place after this. What did he say that the torching took place? It will have to be answered first," Hasina said at the rally organised by the local unit of the ruling Awami League.
Without taking any names she alleged a certain quarter was trying to take the country backwards with their regressive activities. "They are tarnishing Bangladesh's image by staging this type of incidents when the country is moving forward."
The Prime Minister went to Ramu on Monday morning and visited the site of Sep 29 hate attacks. She went to Sima Buddhist Vihara, Rakhain Buddhist Vihara, Laal Ching, Saada Ching, Ramu Moitri Vihara and Aparna Moitri Vihara and talked to monks and locals.
She later distributed relief material among the affected at the peace rally at the Khijari Model High School ground.
"It is a deplorable incident. I came here with a heavy heart. Whatever happened here cannot be tolerated," she said at the rally.
"Islam is a religion of peace. No Muslim can do such a heinous act. Those who did it do not believe in Islam … do not believe in humanity," the Prime Minister said.
She assured the local Buddhist community that the attackers will be brought to book. "We will certainly find out who did it. We have already got lots of information."
Hasina urged the locals in Ramu to assist the government in its probe by giving any information they have. She said the attackers were being identified from video footages and detained. "We will certainly take action against those involved," she said.
The Prime Minister requested Satyapriya Mohather, chief of Sima Vihara, to say a few words.
The Buddhist religious leader said, "We have nothing to say ... we are stunned." He said only a 'peaceful coexistence' could bring back peace.
President of a local platform for Imams, Maulana Salauddin Mohammad Tarek said, "Islam always talks of harmony. Prophet Muhammad said, 'He who is communal is not among my followers'."
The Imam, however, said the attacks were the fallout of insult to the Quran. He also demanded tracing out those behind the Facebook post that degraded the holy book.
Hasina, in her speech said, the fanaticism created using technology was unacceptable.
She said the hundreds of years old Buddhist viharas were not only part of religious heritage but also of Bangladesh's culture.
She suggested forming a committee with members from all religious beliefs to avert such communal violence in the future. Hasina requested the locals to live in peace and urged them not to get instigated and harm one another.
The Prime Minister distributed a total Tk 24.847 million in cheques, 307 bundles of tin, 35.62 metric tonnes of rice, 247 blankets, 107 sets of clothes and 29 sets of books among the affected.
Before attending the peace rally, she donated 'chibar' or clothes to the monks of the damaged viharas she had visited.
Kamalapur Dharmarajik Buddhist Mahavihara chief Shuddhananda Mohathen, LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Abul Hasan Mahmoud Ali, State Minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Prime Minister's Security Advisor Tarik Ahmed Siddique, among others, are accompanying Hasina.
Committees for communal harmony
The Prime Minister returned from Ramu to Cox's Bazaar around 1pm and held a meeting with senior officials and political leaders at Cox's Bazaar Circuit House to discuss the overall situation in the area.
In the meeting, she urged the local Awami League leaders of the district to form a committee to safeguard communal harmony so that such incidents do not happen again and so that minority people can live in peace.
The local leaders informed the Prime Minister that the Awami leaders and activists stood beside the Buddhist minorities after the sectarian strife.
Admiring their roles, Hasina asked the local leaders to always remain alert to so that such incidents do not recur.
She also renewed her assurance of taking stern action against the perpetrators of the arson attacks on Buddhist temples and homes in Ramu and said that the attackers would be given exemplary punishment.
Ramu Upazila Paridhad Chairman Sohel Sarwar Kajal, also President of Ramu upazila unit of the Awami League, described the violence of Sep 29 night at the meeting.
"When we brought the situation under control to some extent, BNP MP Lutfur Rahman Kajal reached the spot, got onstage and told the audience: 'I've not come here to do politics. Rather I've come to express solidarity with you'."
"Following his departure from the spot, we saw the eastern sky turn red," he claimed.
Cox's Bazaar district council Administrator Mustak Ahmed Chowdhury, MP Abdur Rahman Badi, Acting President of the district unit Awami League Ahmed Hossain, General Secretary Salahuddin Ahmed, former General Secretary of the district Awami League Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Cox's Bazaar Municipality Mayor Mujibar Rahman and Ukhia upazila Awami League General Secretary Hamidul Haque Chowdhury were present at the meeting.
The Prime Minister left for Dhaka around 4pm after the meeting.
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