Coordinated communal attacks marred last year’s Durga Puja festivity in Bangladesh; temples, houses and business establishments of the Hindus in two dozen districts were damaged in hate crimes, originating from Comilla over the alleged defamation of the Quran.
Police and other law enforcement agencies took different measures to tame down the anarchy and brought a man named Iqbal Hossain to justice.
Now in police custody, Iqbal kept a copy of the Quran on the lap of an idol at Nanuardighir Par temporary Puja venue. He was given the Quran from a mosque near the Puja venue. His associate Ikram Hossain aka Rezaul Haque called on emergency hotline 999 to report the alleged defamatory incident.
Another Foyez Ahmed streamed a live on Facebook calling for protests on October 13. Tensions erupted among a faction of locals after the video went viral.
Twelve cases were filed over the attacks on Puja venues, temples and Hindu establishments and attacks on police by the rioters. But the trial of none of the cases has begun as of yet.
The cases are being probed by different law enforcement agencies, including the police, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The CID and PBI have completed investigations in six cases, while the submission of reports in other cases has been delayed due to administrative reasons.
During the attacks and clashes between rioters and the police, eight people, including five Muslims, were killed across the country.
Govt Assures Protection
This year, Durga Puja will be held in the Nanuadighir Par area where the incident occurred last year, Comilla Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamrul Hasan told UNB, adding that they had taken tight security measures.
Nirmal Paul, general secretary of Comilla District Puja Celebration Committee, said that 794 puja mandaps had been set up in the district this year.
“We hope that the Puja will be celebrated smoothly this time with the help of the administration and the law enforcement agencies,” he said.
