Scores of Hindu houses, businesses faced communal attacks in Bangladesh, says Unity Council

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reported that Hindu houses and businesses were attacked in 20 districts across Bangladesh, with women physically assaulted and many injured.

The attackers plundered shops, temples and houses and assaulted Hindu women and many of them were injured, newagebd.net reported.

The attacks on Hindus continued even after 11 pm on Monday.

The districts in which the religious minorities faced attacks are Dinajpur, Sherpur, Khulna, Feni, Narsingdi, Lakkhipur, Kishoreganj, Chattogram, Jashore, Satkhira, Narail, Habiganj, Bogura, Patuakhali, Panchagarh, Magura, Mymensingh, Tangail, Bagerhat and Rangpur.

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

“We urge the army to ensure security for the minorities and bring the perpetrators of the attack to immediately bring to book,” he said.

At Fakirhat in Bagherhat, a Hindu village was attacked displacing 70 families who took shelter under the open sky.

Their houses were looted by the attackers.

Shilla village also faced communal attacks with the perpetrators arriving with weapons to swoop on the village at about 11 pm, the BHBCUC said.

The Radha Gobinda temple in Kuakata of Patuakhali was attacked and looted.

At least 25 Hindu houses were vandalized in Lohagora upazila of Narail. The attackers also allegedly physically assaulted the women.

In Keshabpur of Jashore, at least 40 Hindu houses were looted and vandalized.

In Dinajpur, the attackers were trying to set fire to a rice mill owned by a Hindu man in Nayanpur.

Rana Dasgupta said that Hindus were attacked in five districts during the anti-Hasina movement on Sunday.

Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh after resigning as prime minister on Monday following a mass uprising that saw 365 people killed in clashes since July 16.