Two construction workers, both siblings, were killed by an unruly mob on suspicion that the duo set fire to a Hindu temple in Dumain Union under Faridpur's Madhukhali Upazila on Thursday.
Five more workers sustained severe injuries in the mob attack. But two of them were hospitalized.
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed on Friday morning as a tense situation has been prevailing in the area since the incident, with all male members belonging to the Hindu community fleeing their homes, the local administration said.
The fear of potential cases over the deaths and attack caused panic among the male villagers, sources said.
The deceased were identified as Ashraful, 21, and Ashadul, 15, sons of Shahjahan Khan of Ghoperghat village under Naowarpara Union.
District Superintendent of Police Md Morshed Alam said they fired blank shots to bring the situation under control as hundreds of people took part in the attack. Several policemen were injured by the brickbats hurled by the agitators.
No arrests have been made on Friday evening, and the situation is currently under their control. Police will remain deployed until the situation returns to normal, the SP said.
How things unfolded
Faridpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Qamrul Ahsan Talukder said that a fire broke out at the Kali idols of the Barwari temple in Hindu-dominated Panchpalli village on Thursday evening.
Hindu residents became angry over the incident, and they locked up seven workers on suspicion of their involvement in the desecration of the idols.
The workers were constructing a wash block at Panchpalli Government Primary School, 20 yards off the temple.
On information, Madhukhali police and upazila administration officials rushed to the spot, but the mob also confined them, the official said. With the help of Faridpur Sadar and Rajbari police, the besieged people were rescued after a few hours.
Seven workers were rescued with injuries, four of them in a state of unconsciousness. The injured were taken to Madhukhali Upazila Health Complex and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital in Faridpur, the DC said, adding that two of the injured succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.
One of the injured workers, Liton Mollah, said that after noticing the fire, they also took part in extinguishing it along with the locals. But the agitated people suspected the workers, tied their hands and feet, and beat them up.
A large number of angry people attacked them with sticks, rods, and bricks. They vandalized the doors and windows of the school, he narrated.
Local Dumain Union Parishad Chairman Asaduzzaman Tapon said that, being informed by Ajit Babu, a member of Ward No. 1, he rushed to the spot and found thousands of people and tried to calm them. But it seemed that the situation was beyond control.
The chairman said he then informed the administration and the UNO, who could bring the situation under control.
Who set the fire?
Until 9pm on Friday, it was not clear who or what led to the fire.
Tapati Mandal, who was informed of the fire first, said: “I have no idea who set the fire. I did not even see the workers doing so.
Security heightened as probe starts
Three platoons of BGB members led by a magistrate were deployed along with police to ease the tensions in the area.
Visiting the site on Friday afternoon, Dhaka range’s Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Maruf Hossain Sardar said additional law enforcers will be there until the situation completely returns to normalcy.
Meanwhile, a three-member committee was formed on Friday to investigate the incident. The investigators have been given three days to complete their task and submit a report.
