Reality Behind The Attacks On Minorities In Bangladesh (image-X/fiona_lali)
As Bangladesh witnesses a growing violent uprising following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, several reports of targeted violence on the Hindu minority have surfaced.
Recently, a Hindu family’s home in Dhaka was attacked by a large group of people who vandalised their property and attempted to damage a temple within the residence, reported Dhaka Tribune.
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Another report by the local media stated that residents of the Hindu community in Bejpara Banani in Jessore district town have experienced incidents of vandalism by around 20–25 people. The residents also reported incidents of looting as the uprising turned violent.
After looting his house, the home of band Joler Gaan’s lead Rahul Ananda was set on fire in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi on Monday. Later that day, Shariatpur’s Dhanuka Manasa Bari temple was ransacked by an angry mob, damaging idols and the CCTV cameras inside the premises, reported The Daily Star.
Apart from Hindus, minority communities, including Buddhists and Ahmadiyyas, have also reportedly been attacked in over 30 districts in the country, stated the Dhaka Tribune.
Organisations such as the United Nations, the European Union, and international rights bodies have condemned the violence that has resulted in the deaths of many supporting the Awami League, Hasina’s political party.
However, there has also been an abundance of misinformation spreading online with the aim to disrupt communal harmony. Fact-checker Mohammed Zubair and Alt News have been busting the fake claims made by several right-wing handles who shared old videos of unrelated incidents, claiming them as scenes from Bangladesh.
Beware of this Propaganda account like @Salwan_Momika1 known for sharing disinformation.
This incident is from July 11, where 15 cloth and plastic shops were gutted by fire due to Electric Short Circuit. This has nothing to do with recent #BangladeshViolence nor is there any… https://t.co/OvYYuoxDcu pic.twitter.com/eKLzmAW60f— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 7, 2024
Notably, student leaders in the country have asked supporters to guard Hindu temples and churches and urged people to not target minority communities. Many Bangladeshi citizens have come forward to protect their neighboours amid atrocities against the religious minority groups in the Muslim majority country.
In Dhaka, a Muslim man was reported to have been seen guarding the Dhakeshwari Temple, as per Al Jazeera.
I can completely confirm that this is an authentic picture. A Muslim man spotted praying salah in front of Dhakeswari temple, Dhaka and protecting the hindu temple from all the evil people who are trying to stop the reform by attacking minorities and public properties.
As… pic.twitter.com/jHLUuoGDhl
— Saif Ahmed 🇧🇩 (@saifahmed75) August 6, 2024
Read Also: “Heart Wrenching Visuals from Bangladesh”: Adil Hussain
Politicians from the opposition called for the protection of all citizens, “irrespective of religion and politics, from discriminatory violence,” amid reports of attacks on various religious institutions.
The protests against the former prime minister over government job quotas has claimed over 300 lives. Following Hasina’s resignation, she fled the country and protesters marched towards her residence, they stormed her official residence. Bangladesh is set to form an interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus today.
