In this photograph taken on October 30, Bangaldesh residents stand near a vandalised Hindu temple in Brahmanbaria. An angry mob vandalised Hindu temples and attacked property after an alleged Facebook post mocking one of Islam’s holiest sites. Scores of people attacked the places of worship late October 30 in the eastern town of Nasirnagar after a local Hindu young man allegedly posted an edited photo on social media of a Hindu deity on top of the black cube-shaped Kaaba in Makkah.
Most of the houses of Hindus at Harenbar village of Nasirnagars upazila in Brahmanbaria, vandalised and robbed on Sunday, remained deserted at least two-thirds of 350 minority people, who fled their houses Saturday night fearing the attack, dared not to return to the houses till Tuesday evening. At least six temples and 50 houses and business establishment were vandalised and robbed at the village on Sunday on allegation of hurting religious sentiment of Muslims by a Facebook post Hindu youth Rasraj Das of the village. About 150 houses and business establishments and 15 temples of Hindus were vandalised and robbed by groups of local Muslims at the upazila on Sunday. Local people and police said that the miscreants from outlying unions came to the upazila town on Sunday to join protests demanding punishment for Rasraj Das, 27, for allegedly sharing a doctored photo setting an idol on the Kaaba on his Facebook wall on Friday. The protests were organised by local Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat at Nasirnagar college and Towhidi Janata of Qoumi Group at Ashutosh Pilot School. The local people said that people mostly from Qoumi Group armed with sticks and sharp weapons committed the attacks and robbery for about two hours from 11:30am on Sunday. At least six temples were found destroyed and 50 houses and businesses of Hindu communities partially damaged during a visit at Harenbar village on Tuesday. Nasirnagar upazila nirbahi officer Choudhury Muazzam Ahmed said that they were not informed about any vandalising of temples and houses at Rasraj’s village. He said that administration so far had information that 14 temples and several houses at upazila town were vandalised. Villagers said that people while going to join protest rallies demanding punishment for Rasraj at upazila town on Sunday morning and returning from the protests in the evening had attacked houses and temples at the village. Haripur union parishad chairman Dewan Atikur Rahman, union Awami League president Faruk Miah, villagers Ajay Bardan, Subash Das, Mohammad Giasuddin and others said that the attackers vandalised Bardhanbari Mandir, Maddhyapara Thakurbari, Jagatjyoti Mandir, Kali Mandir, Dakhinbari Kali Mandir and Mahadeb Mandir at the village. Dewan Atikur Rahman said that he and other local people did not inform about violence in the area to administration as they thought it would spread more fear and demean image of their area. Hindu people from all walks of life barring from old age women fled to their relatives’ houses or safe places on Saturday night assuming attack on them as Muslims were taking preparation for protest rallies using PA system for the next day and brought out several procession on the night. Dewan Atikur Rahman said that 95 per cent people of the Harenbar village was Hindu. Many had left houses on security ground even though they assured them of security. Subash said that hardly 30 or 40 per cent of Hindu people returned to their houses. Most of the villagers said that it was unbelievable that Rasraj, who could only sign his name, could make such a post with doctored photo and in well organised and accurate Bangla. They suspected that someone might have made the post on Rasraj’s Facebook wall using his Facebook identity. They also said that Rasraj had apologised if anyone was hurt by the post. How Rasraj, a fisherman by profession, can make such post, said Dewan Atikur Rahman and Faurk Mia said. Rasraj’s father and his elder brother are fishermen living in a two-room house made of corrugated iron sheets. His only sister is below seven years of age, locals said. ‘I hardly write my name as I read up to Class-IV. I know how to read and write. I have no idea who posted the anti-Islamic element on my Facebook wall,’ a jail police from Brahmanbaria quoted Rasraj as saying. Rasraj also told the jail police that he opened and operate his Facebook account with the help of his younger brother Palash Das and a close friend Ashutosh Das after he bought a phone four to five months back. The police said that Rasraj had been kept in a separate cell for his safety fearing any kind of wrath from other Muslim inmates. New Age tried to contact with Polash but he had fled to an unknown place and cell phone of Ashutosh was switched off and he also was not available at home on Tuesday.
Source: New Age
