State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan has said those who attacked the Hindu community in Lohagara upazila of Narail will get punishment under the law.
He made the assertion while briefing journalists after an agreement signing ceremony at the Secretariat on Thursday.
“You (Journalists) have seen who are responsible for the attack on Hindus. Attackers have already been arrested. They will have to face the music now. We want justice whoever they are. Offenders will be given punishment, inshallah (God willing),” said the minister.
Faridul said: “I visited the spot on July 15 and 19. I think the whole situation was brought under control by the local Awami League unit and its associate organizations. The situation could have worsened if they had not given protection to the Hindus.”
“We visited Narail at the direction of the prime minister to calm down the situation and held a cross-religion dialogue there.”
Mentioning that the defeated forces of the country’s Liberation War are still active, the state minister said their (defeated forces) main target is to destabilize the country by creating anarchy.
“They don’t want to see Bangladesh as a non-communal state. They want Bangladesh to be like Pakistan or Afghanistan.”
The state minister also said some vested quarters are trying to foil the election process as the next general election is knocking on the door.
Following a Facebook post on Friday evening, a mob vandalized a temple, grocery shops and several homes of the Hindu community in the Digholia Bazar area under Lohagara.
The mob took to the streets, attacking and vandalizing several homes on the allegation that a youth named Akash Saha had hurt their religious sentiments through a post on Facebook.
They also broke into and vandalized the Sahapara temple, as well as several shops.
