Ten temples attacked elsewhere

Two more Hindu temples came under attack in Sirajganj and Jhalakathi yesterday, raising the number of such incidents to 10 since the attacks on the minority community in Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar on October 30.

Such attacks are still taking place despite the government's directive on the administration and police across the country to take measures to protect the minority community.

Yesterday, unidentified criminals damaged the idols of goddess Kali and Shitola at Fulkocha Kundupara Kali Mondir in Songasa area of Sirajganj Sadar upazila, said police and locals.

When Hindu devotees went to the temple early yesterday, they found the idols badly damaged, Adhir Chandra Kundu, president of the temple committee, told our Pabna Correspondent.

Basudeb Sinha, officer-in-charge of Sirajganj Police Station, said the criminals would be arrested soon. “They vandalised the idols at the temple in a planned way.”

Top government and police officials visited the spot.

In a separate incident, unknown criminals damaged an idol of Kali at a temple at Ponabalia Bazar in Jhalakathi Sadar Upazila on Saturday night.

Materials used for performing prayers were thrown into a pond near the temple, Anil Chandra Das, president of the temple committee, told Our Jhalakathi Correspondent.

The criminals carried out the attack in the dead of night, he added.

The attacks took place despite the police headquarters' instructions on Thursday to all its units to stay alert. It issued a six-point directive, including one for taking prompt steps against whoever instigates violence to harm communal harmony.

Asked about the recent attacks, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said his ministry has taken all necessary steps to prevent this type of incidents and alerted the police, the BGB and Rab.

"The situation is under control," claimed the Home boss.

On the steps taken to check attacks on the minority community, Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, senior secretary to the public administration ministry, said, “Directives have already been given in this regard. The administration is alert.”

Meanwhile, representatives of the Hindu community alleged that the failure of the administration and the police, and the culture of impunity were the reasons behind repeated attacks on the community.

At a meeting with Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque at the police headquarters, they demanded trial of the cases filed over such attacks.

They voiced concern over the prevailing situation and demanded tough action against the culprits.

The minority community representatives also sought investigation into the role of local Awami League leaders and activists as well as police in the Nasirnagar incident.

They called for forming a cell at the police headquarters to look into the attacks on the minority community.

The IGP assured them of setting up a cell, and said that he himself would oversee it, according to a press release.

Shahidul also told them that he had already given directives to form “harmony committees” with representatives of all religious communities in every division, district and upazila to maintain communal harmony.

OTHER ATTACKS

In Netrakona, police arrested a person for allegedly torching Ekota Sangha Kali Mondir in Satpai area on Saturday.

The arrestee was identified as Sumon Islam, 40, son of Nurul Islam of Singrapur village in Narsingdi's Raypur upazila, police said.

Bhajan Das, president of the temple committee, said they caught Sumon red-handed at the temple. The idols there were damaged partially by the time they brought the fire under control.

Yesterday, a Netrakona court placed Sumon on a two-day remand.

In Thakurgaon, criminals set fire to a temple and vandalised a Kali idol at Pokati Paschimpara village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila on November 4.

Banaripara police in Barisal arrested a person, Babul Howlader, for vandalising idols of goddess Durga and other deities at a temple in Banaripara Bazar on Thursday.

Ziaul Ahsan, officer-in-charge of Banaripara Police Station, said Babul was arrested from his house at the upazila's Narottampur village.

During primary interrogation, Babul confessed to his involvement in the attack, said the police officer.

In Gopalganj, a temple came under attack in Raghunathpur on October 31.

The same day, unknown criminals vandalised an idol of goddess Durga and looted valuables from a temple in Chittagong's Hathazari upazila.

The criminals looted gold jewellery and cash from the temple's vault, said Rimon Muhuri, general secretary of Hathazari upazila Puja Udjapon Committee. 

Also on October 31, a group of 50 criminals attacked a Kali temple and a Shree Chaitanya temple in Sunamganj under the pretext that some Hindus set off firecrackers near a mosque that evening.

They, however, could not enter the temples as those were locked.

The mob then hurled brickbats at two Hindu houses. 

On October 30, when religious bigots carried out attacks on the Hindus in Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar upazila, violence spilled over into neighbouring Habiganj district where a Kali temple came under attack in Madhabpur bus stand area.

The attackers vandalised a Kali idol there when Hindu devotees were offering prayers on the occasion of Diwali.