Hindu Homes and Temples Attacked in Bangladesh

Photo Credit:post.jagran.com

A Hindu group said Islamic activists have attacked dozens of Hindu temples and hundreds of Hindu homes across Bangladesh since an Islamist leader was sentenced to death for war crimes last month.

A group which looks after Hindu temples, named, Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad said that 47 temples and at least 700 Hindu houses had either been attacked since the verdict against Delwar Hussain Sayedee. He was sentenced to hang on February 28 for crimes including rape and murder committed during the 1971 independence conflict.

The sentencing of Sayedee and other leaders has triggered the worst violence in Bangladesh since independence, with 85 people killed so far.

The vice-president of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad, Kazal Debnath, blamed the attacks on Hindu temples and homes on Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.
"It was the work of the Jamaat and Shibir, but we also accuse the government, the police and the local government representatives including (our) MPs for failing to protect the temples and our community," He said the attackers were given freedom to "torch our temples, houses and properties".

Jamaat on the other hand has denied any role in the attacks, blaming supporters of the ruling Awami League party for the violence. But Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told diplomats last week that Jamaat and Shibir attacked Hindu temples and houses in a "pre-planned manner".