Durga Puja Violence: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina assures 'appropriate punishments'

A day after communal violence broke out in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured appropriate action against those responsible. Hasina said that people behind the communal violence during Durga puja in Cumilla city will be hunted down and given "appropriate punishments."

The Bangladesh Prime Minister added that the people responsible need to be punished in order to stop the recurrence of communal attacks in the country. 

Temples and pandals attacked in Bangladesh on Durga Puja 

In a tragic incident on Durga Puja, at least three people were killed while 60 others were injured in multiple cases of communal violence during the Durga Puja festivities in Bangladesh's Chandpur Hajiganj Upazila. Reports stated that violence broke out on Wednesday when devotees were celebrating Durga Puja, a widely celebrated religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. 

Earlier in Cumilia, at least 50 people were left injured as a group of hardliners clashed with the police in the Nanua Dighirpar area after rumours of a communal incident surfaced. The attackers reached in big numbers at the Mandap area around 9 AM after a video went viral on social media. Eventually, the situation was brought under control by law enforcement agencies that arrived at the spot. 

In addition, the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police in the district held a meeting with the local Hindu community and others. However, several factions affiliated with different religious associations gathered in Nanua Dighirpar. Locals and police said that the mob attacked the mandap around 10:30 am, Daily Star reported. Following this, the police and the government confirmed that three cases of attacks were reported from Banshkhali's Chambal area, Kali Mandir municipality, and Karnaphuli Upazila. In Kurigram's Ulipur Upazila, the destruction of several temples was reported, including one which was set ablaze.

MEA responds to communal violence in Bangladesh 

Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued its response after communal violence was reported. MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Indian embassy and the High Commission in Dhaka are in close contact with Bangladeshi authorities on the developments and trust the administration in conducting a fair investigation on the matter. 

"We have seen disturbing reports involving attacks on religious places. We note the Bangladesh government's prompt response. We understand that the government has deployed security and police and the festivities have continued. Our Embassy and High Commission in Dhaka is in close contact with the Bangladesh authority in the capital as well as at the local level. We leave the investigation authority on the Bangladesh administration," Bagchi informed during a press briefing.