Hindu homes vandalized in B’desh over alleged post slandering Islam

Dhaka: The houses of several Hindu families have been vandalized and burned by some radical Islamists in Bangladesh’s Comilla district over rumors about an alleged Facebook post slandering Islam, according to a media report.

The households were vandalized and later set on fire on Nov 1 after a Bangladeshi man, who lives in France, allegedly praised President Emmanuel Macron for taking steps against “inhumane ideologies” after a teacher in Paris was decapitated for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, bdnews24.com reported.

The headmaster of a kindergarten school in Purbo Dhour welcomed Macron’s action in a comment on the post.

As the rumors about the Facebook post spread, tension mounted in the area, the report said.

The police arrested two people on charges of hurting the religious sentiments, the report quoted Qamruzzaman Talukder, Officer-in-Charge of Bangra Bazar Police Station, as saying.

They include the headmaster of the kindergarten. The other person is a resident of nearby Andikot village.

“The situation is under control now,” Md Abul Fazal Mir, deputy commissioner of Comilla district, told bdnews24.com after visiting the area. Syed Nurul Islam, Superintendent of Police, has also visited the scene.

The deputy commissioner said the locals carried out arson attacks on homes, including those of the two arrestees.

Asked what measures the authorities have taken against the attackers, Mir said the administration has swung into action.

Demonstrations against France over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad have been taking place in different Muslim-majority countries for some days.

Bangladeshi authorities have deployed four platoons of police in Kurbanpur and Andikot villages to keep the situation under control. (Hindustan Times)

Image courtesy of (credit: Wikimedia)

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