Bangladesh minority group condemns communal violence in northern Gangacora

Dhaka [Bangladesh], July 30 : A delegation led by the Acting General Secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, Manindra Kumar Nath, visited Hindupara, which has been hit by communal violence, in Aldadpur village, Betgari Union, Gangachara, Rangpur, on July 29, the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

The delegation included central organising secretary Gopal Barman, general secretaries of the organisation's Rangpur district and metropolitan committees Swapan Kumar Roy and Alok Kumar Nath, central presidents of the Youth and Students' Unity Council Shimul Saha and Sajeeb Sarkar, Santu Saha, among others, it added.

"Hindupara, which has been hit by communal violence, is a predominantly Hindu area. According to the voter list, more than 2,700 (two thousand seven hundred) Hindus live in this area", the statement said.

"This village is inhabited by low-income people, and there are hardly any Muslims in the village. Some are sugarcane farmers, some are fishermen, and some are engaged in barbering", the statement added.

Further, the statement highlighted the July 26 "alleged post about religious insults was spread on Facebook by Ranjan Roy, a student of Rangpur ITC Polytechnic Private Institute, the 17-year-old son of Sujan Roy of Hindupara."

"When rumours started circulating locally about the matter, he took his son to the local police station that same afternoon and handed him over to the authorities", the statement added.

Explaining the incident in details, the statement noted that, "after handing over the son to the police, at around 8 pm, a group of 6-700 extremists crossed the local Bullai river from the border area of Nilphamari district, about 2/3 miles away from Hindupara, and from other nearby villages, shouting various religiously provocative slogans entered Hindupara and looted and vandalized 4 houses, including Ranjan Roy's house."

"The next day, on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at around 3:30 PM, a group of approximately 3,000 armed miscreants from the same area attacked the Hindupara again, shouting communally inciting slogans, just like the previous night", the statement added."

They attacked and vandalised the homes of 18 other families in the neighbourhood, looted their belongings, including domesticated cattle and goats, and destroyed their sugarcane crops", the statement said.

"After visiting the scene, the leaders met with District Police Superintendent Mohammad Abu Saim at his office and demanded that all the criminals involved in the incident be arrested and given exemplary punishment", the statement said.

"At the same time, they strongly demanded that the safety of the local people be ensured and compensation for the victims be provided", the statement said.

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