Hindu leaders killed and temples vandalised following Hasina’s fall

HINDU temples, households, and businesses were vandalised, women were assaulted, and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with the Awami League were killed in the violence that erupted in Bangladesh following the ousting of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, community leaders reported on Tuesday (6).

“We have documented several incidents of vandalism across different parts of the country, leaving the Hindu and other minority communities in a state of fear,” said Kajol Debnath, a leader of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, during a meeting in Dhaka.

According to the information gathered, two Hindu leaders, who were also leaders within Hasina's Awami League (AL) party, were killed in the north-western regions of Sirajganj and Rangpur.

Debnath noted that the Council is still in the process of collecting further details. He added that the attackers “plundered shops, temples, and houses, and assaulted Hindu women,” with many people being injured amidst the ongoing political turmoil following Hasina's fall from power.

A day after Hasina resigned and fled the country following massive protests against her government over quota in government jobs, violence that had started afresh over the weekend, continued overnight and led to a total of over 400 being killed since mid-July.

According to the Council leaders, the districts where religious minorities and their households or businesses were attacked are north-eastern Panchagarh, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogura and Sirajganj; northern Sherpur and Kishoreganj; western Jashore, Magura and Narail, south-western Khulna, Patuakhali and Satkhira; central Narsingdi, Mymensingh and Tangail; north-western Lakkhipur, Feni and Chattogram, and north-eastern Habiganj.

“The situation is grave and Hindus are being continuously attacked across Bangladesh,” the Unity Council's general secretary Rana Dasgupta said in a statement earlier.

“We urge the army to ensure security for the minorities and bring the perpetrators of the attack to book immediately,” he added. Debnath, meanwhile, said they would come up with details on the attacks later Tuesday.

On Monday, an Indian cultural centre was vandalised by an unruly mob here in Dhaka and four Hindu temples suffered “minor” damages across the country.

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre located in Dhaka's Dhanmondi area was also damaged by the unruly mob, according to eyewitnesses.

The Centre, a Cultural Centre of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations of India, has a library with over 21,000 books in the fields of Indian art, culture, politics, economics and fiction. (PTI)