Dhaka, April 10 The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, a human rights organisation against religious discrimination, expressed deep concern over the continuation of communal violence across the country in the period before and following this year's national elections, documenting 133 incidents.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the organisation, citing media reports, stated that between January 1 and March 31, a total of 133 incidents of communal violence were recorded.
These included 25 killings, 4 incidents of rape and violence against women, 35 incidents of temple attacks and looting, and 69 other incidents, including attacks on indigenous communities.
According to the rights group, 46 incidents targeting minority and indigenous communities were recorded in January.
These comprised 11 killings, 1 rape, 9 temple attacks, 1 attack on an indigenous community, 15 cases of attacks, robberies, vandalism, threats, and looting of houses and business establishments, 3 incidents of land grabbing, 1 extortion, and 5 other similar incidents.
The Council further stated that 50 incidents of attacks on minority and indigenous communities occurred in February, including 8 killings, rape, 15 temple attacks, allegation of blasphemy, 17 incidents of attacks, robberies, vandalism, threats, and looting of houses and business establishments, 6 cases of land grabbing, kidnapping and 1 other incident.
Amid the rising incidents, the group documented 37 incidents of attacks on minority and indigenous communities in March.
These included six killings, two cases of rape and sexual harassment, 11 attacks on temples, one attack over blasphemy allegations, attack on the indigenous community, seven cases of attacks, robberies, vandalism, threats, and looting of houses and business establishments, four land-grabbing incidents, and five others.
The Council expressed hope that such attacks would decline following the formation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government; however, the persistence of these incidents, it said, has left minority communities “anxious and concerned".
The council called on the government to fulfil an eight-point demand, including "the arrest and exemplary punishment of those involved in the mentioned incidents, compensation for the victims, and proper treatment for the injured, as well as the enactment of a minority protection law, the formation of a Minority Ministry, and a National Minority Commission".
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