The supporters and members of Islamist outfit of Bangladesh, Hefazat-e-Islam (Defenders of Islam) brutally attacked a minority Hindu village in Shalla Upazila of Sunamganj in Bangladesh on Wednesday (17th March, 2021) morning, as reported by the Organiser.

The attack was carried out by the Islamist outfit ostensibly for a Facebook post of a Hindu man criticizing Hefazat-e-Islam leader and Joint-Secretary General Mawlana Mufti Mamunul Haque.

The well-planned attack took place after Hefazat-e-Islam’s radical Islamists like Amir Allama Junaid Babunagari, Joint-Secretary General Mawlana Mufti Mamunul Haque and several other central leaders attended a conference at Derai Upazila on Monday (15.03.2021).

In the meeting the Islamist extremist leaders declared that the Indian PM’s visit to Bangladesh is not welcome and they will stop PM Modi from inaugurating the statue of ‘Bangabandhu’, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s Father Of Nation, during his visit at any cost.

Reacting to Mawlana Mamunul Haque’s hate speech at the conference, a young Hindu man from Naogaon, Shalla Upazila reportedly wrote a Facebook post criticizing Mamunul and other extremist speakers.

The violent extremists alleged that a morphed photo of Mamunul was also shared, the youth vehemently denied this charge. The Hindu youth said his account was hacked and he was not able to access his account profile when the purported photo was posted.

As soon as the said Facebook post was shared widely and became viral, a mob of 1000 people attacked the Hindu village with crude weapons on Wednesday, i.e. 17.03.2021. On the previous day, Hefazat leaders staged a huge protest in the area, condemning the Facebook post and the Hindu youth for purportedly inciting religious violence.

The minority Hindus of the village, unnerved and in a bid to compromise and save the situation handed over the youth to the local police under duress.

According to local reports, nearly 100 houses were destroyed and vandalized by the armed Islamist communal mob.

The Bangladesh police tries to paper over the dangerous situation for Hindus there by insisting that the situation is calm and most of the minority Hindus who were forced to flee the area had returned. Whereas the Organiser report states that, sources revealed that most Hindus prefer to stall their return and in fact many are contemplating relocating to safer place permanently.

While, Bangladesh Chhatra League Dhaka University, chapter on Thursday i.e. 18.03.2021, held a protest rally demanding immediate arrest of the violent Islamists who attacked savagely minority Hindu community Sunamganj area of Bangladesh. 

News and image source: Organiser

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