9 killed in over 2,000 incidents of communal violence between Aug 4-20 in Bangladesh, says minority group

Dhaka: At least nine people have been killed and 69 places of worship attacked and vandalised in more than 2,000 incidents of communal violence between August 4 and 20 in Bangladesh, a minority organisation in the violence-hit nation said on Thursday.

Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad's leader Nirmal Rozario called for an independent and impartial investigation of communal violence under the supervision of the United Nations, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

A total of 2,010 incidents of communal violence took place in 68 out of 76 districts and metropolitan areas across the country between August 4 and 20, resulting in the deaths of nine people, Nirmal Rozario, one of the vice-presidents of the organisation, was quoted as saying by the paper.

Giving details of the communal violence during the political turmoil that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Nirmal said that 1,705 families were directly affected by the violence. Among them, 157 families had their homes attacked, looted, vandalised, and set on fire. Some of their businesses were also looted, vandalised, and torched, he said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Nirmal said that these families are now living in dire conditions.

He said that Khulna division saw the most violence, where four women were raped.

Out of the 1,705 affected families, 34 belonged to indigenous communities and the lands of some of the families were occupied, he said.

Additionally, 69 places of worship were attacked, vandalised, looted, and set ablaze during the communal violence, the newspaper reported.

Nirmal called for an independent and impartial investigation of communal violence under the supervision of the United Nations.

He also demanded the withdrawal of false cases against the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad's general secretary Rana Dasgupta and other leaders, end of ongoing communal violence, and the arrest and punishment of the perpetrators.

He also announced a nationwide protest and rally on Saturday across the country, including Dhaka, to press their demands.

Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday granted magisterial powers to the Army for two months to improve law and order in the violence-hit country and prevent "subversive acts".

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Wednesday that the "people of Bangla (Bangladesh) will reap the benefit of bestowing the magistracy power upon the commissioned officers of Bangladesh Army." "We are witnessing subversive acts and disrupted stability in several places, especially in the industrial areas across the country. Given the situation, Army personnel have been given magistracy power," Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said.

He added that he believed the army personnel would not misuse this authority.

Many police personnel in Bangladesh have been absent on the streets since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.

Bangladesh witnessed incidents of violence against members of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities following the fall of the Hasina-led Awami League government last month.

Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 following unprecedented anti-government student-led protests over a controversial quota system in government jobs.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, who is leading the interim government as its Chief Advisor, last month met the Hindu community leaders and vowed to promote interfaith harmony.