Law enforcement agencies on Saturday arrested four people for allegedly vandalizing and damaging the local Loknath temple and houses and shops of the Hindu community in Sunamganj district of northern Bangladesh.
Police has filed a case against 150-170 people mentioning the names of 12 people.
Earlier this month, 19-year-old Aleem Hussain, 20-year-old Sultan Ahmed Raju, 31-year-old Imran Hussain and 20-year-old Shajahan Hussain were arrested for vandalism in Doarabazar area of Sunamganj district, according to a statement issued by the press wing of the chief counsel.
A Facebook post by Akash Das of Sunamganj district on December 3 created tension in the district. Although he deleted the post, the screenshots circulated widely, leading to violence in the region, state-run news agency Bangladesh News Agency (BSS) said, citing a press release.
The local police immediately arrested Das but transferred him to another station due to security concerns.
On the same day, the mob vandalized and damaged the houses, shops and the local Loknath temple of the Hindu community.
District Superintendent of Police, Deputy Commissioner (DC) and army team reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
According to BSS, the police identified the accused involved in the incident and filed a case against 150-170 people on Saturday mentioning the names of 12 people.
Earlier on Tuesday Bangladesh has admitted 88 cases of communal violence against minorities, mainly Hindus, after the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.
Shafiqul Alam, press secretary of interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, also said that 70 people were arrested in that incident.
He made the revelation a day after Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri flagged the deplorable incidents of attacks on minorities in a meeting with the Bangladeshi leadership in Dhaka and expressed India’s concerns, including the safety and welfare of minorities.
Alam told reporters that 88 cases have been filed in cases related to minorities from August 5 to October 22.
Incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities and attacks on temples in Bangladesh in the past few weeks have raised serious concerns in New Delhi.
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