The people in general are deeply concerned and anguished over the recent reports of widespread attacks on Hindu houses and business establishments across at least 29 districts in the country. Reportedly, in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, the house of Pradip Chandra Roy, a community leader, was vandalised and looted, along with a local computer shop owned by Muhin Roy. Similar attacks were reported in Kaliganj, where homes of four Hindu families were ravaged, and in Hatibandha, where 12 houses were torched. The violence extended to Dinajpur, Khulna, Barishal, and several other districts, leaving countless families devastated and in fear.
These acts of violence are not only reprehensible but also a stark violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.
We must remember that an attack on any minority group is an attack on the very fabric of our society. It is imperative that we, as citizens, stand united against such acts of hatred and violence. As there is no government in the country following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government, and an interim government is in the process of being formed, the responsibility lies with the Bangladesh Army to take immediate and decisive action to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice. Additionally, steps must be taken to provide adequate security to vulnerable communities and to rebuild the lives and livelihoods of those affected.
Farzana Mahbub
Gulshan, Dhaka