Hindu village in Rangpur vandalised over blasphemy accusation
The arrest of a young man for blasphemy sparked mob violence in a village that saw 14 Hindu homes vandalised, forcing about 50 families to flee. After police arrived, several agents were injured. The incident highlights the rise in anti-minority violence in Bangladesh following last summer's protests that ousted Sheikh Hasina's government.
Rangpur (AsiaNews) – Police in Gangachara (Rangpur) arrested a young man on blasphemy charges for a post he shared on Facebook.
After he was detained on Saturday evening, and formally charged on Sunday, a mob from the surrounding area mistakenly vandalised another person's home, thinking it belonged to the accused.
More violence erupted later in a Hindu village, resulting in the destruction of the homes of at least 14 families. Victims report that around 50 families had to flee the area out of fear.
The local Hindu community claims that the attack was intentionally carried out by Islamic extremists. A woman, found weeping inside a vandalised home, cried out, “You have made us homeless! How can we live now? You have taken everything from us.”
Gangachara Police Station Chief Al Emran said the young man had posted offensive content and images about the Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.
After verifying the complaint, police arrested him around 8:30 pm. A case was filed under the Cyber Security Act, and the accused was taken to the Sammilit Shishu rehabilitation centre following a court order.
According to police, after the young man was arrested, an angry mob marched to his home. A second group returned around 10:00 pm and vandalised the home of one of his relatives. Police and the army were deployed to control the situation.
The local police station commander reported that law enforcement remained on the scene from midnight until 1:00 am. Expecting further unrest after the Zuhr prayer, additional forces were deployed at 1:00 pm.
Around 3:30 pm, when the crowd began attacking homes, the police attempted to intervene. Several officers were injured, including one who was hospitalised with serious injuries.
In the afternoon, police took up position at the Aldadpur Public Primary School, while attackers targeted homes about 500 metres away.
The arrival of army personnel finally had the effect of dispersing the crowd. At least 14 homes were confirmed to have been vandalised.
Pramod Mohant, a resident, said that the village is located near the border between Kishoreganj and Nilphamari districts.
A human chain was announced from Banglabazar to Khilalganj, but around 3 PM, a crowd from Khilalganj Bazar began chanting slogans and attacking homes of Sanatan Dharma Hindus (an orthodox form of Hinduism) in the youth’s village.
This incident reflects the growing trend of mob violence against religious minorities through blasphemy accusations, which often prove to be false and unfounded.
Such attacks have reportedly increased after street demonstrations against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government last summer forced her to flee to India on 5 August 2024.
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20/10/2021 14:50
