Bangladesh Tensions Rise (Image: X)
In the last week in Bangladesh, numerous violent events aimed at individuals in the Hindu community have sparked significant alarm, as reported by the rights organization Bangladesh Jatio Hindu Mohajote (Bangladesh National Grand Alliance). The group reported that two Hindu men were killed in different assaults, and several others sustained injuries when a makeshift bomb detonated inside a temple during a religious event.
The latest event occurred on March 8 in Cumilla, where it was reported that crude bombs were thrown inside the Kaligach Tala Kali Mandir during a puja ceremony. The rights organization reported that the explosion occurred at approximately 6:30 pm during the worship of Shani Dev by devotees. The temple priest along with four other individuals sustained serious injuries.
Authorities verified that the wounded priest, Keshob Chakraborty, along with two other individuals, was transported to the hospital for medical care. Touhidul Anwar, the officer responsible for Kotwali Model Police Station, verified the particulars of the incident.
Sajol Kumar Chanda, the head of the temple committee, reported that the explosion occurred during the puja. CCTV footage allegedly captured a masked person entering the temple just before the explosion and leaving a bag behind.
Reflecting on the explosion, priest Keshob Chakraborty shared with The Daily Star, “Following the bomb blast, a white object landed in front of me… Later, noticing smoke, others informed me it was a bomb.” Observers reported that fear swept through the region right after the explosion.
Reports indicated that following the initial explosion, assailants set off two additional crude bombs close to a Buddhist temple and a private office.
Local leaders and law enforcement quickly arrived at the location following the event. Shyamal Krishna, the organizer of the Metropolitan Puja Celebration Front, went to the temple and requested officials to respond promptly.
“Anyone attempting to disrupt the harmonious atmosphere should be apprehended swiftly,” he stated.
Police authorities, including Md Anisuzzaman, Superintendent of Police in Cumilla, also inspected the location. A bomb disposal team was subsequently sent to aid the inquiry.
On March 6 in Bogura District, a Hindu individual named Chayon Rajbhar (40) was fatally stabbed in Sariakandi during a land dispute. Rajbhar served as the head of a nearby coaching facility known as The New Contest.
The following day, March 7, a 29-year-old Hindu individual, Ganesh Pal, was reportedly killed by assailants in Cox’s Bazar after he declined to pay an extortion fee.
The rights organization also emphasized previous occurrences. In the Alankar region of Chattogram, a Hindu young man named Akash Das was allegedly murdered for opposing extortion aimed at workers. In Chandanaish Upazila, a 70-year-old individual named Chandan Dey was murdered by armed thieves after he opposed a cattle robbery.
Mrityunjoy Kumar Roy, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Jatio Hindu Mohajote, urged for stringent legal measures against those accountable. The group called for a zero-tolerance policy, financial support for impacted families, and the prompt arrest and punishment of those responsible.
The events occur only weeks after the national elections in Bangladesh, where the Bangladesh Nationalist Party along with its allies gained a two-thirds majority in parliament, and Tarique Rahman assumed the role of Prime Minister.
(With inputs from ANI)
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