Members of armed forces have been deployed in Ramu upazila of Cox's Bazar to maintain law and order on Monday. Photo: Banglar Chokh
Over 2,000 people were sued in Chittagong and 58 arrested in Cox's Bazar on Monday in connection with Sunday's communal violence in Ramu upazila of Cox's Bazar that also spread to Chittagong, reports UNB.
In Chittaong, two cases were filed against 76 identified and about 2,000 unidentified people on charge of arson attacks on the Buddhist and Hindu temples in Patiya upazila.
Officer-in-charge of Patiya police station Aminur Rashid said Srimat Dipananda, a Buddhist monk, on Sunday night filed a case against 37 identified people, including the arrested 26 workers of Western Marine shipyard, and 400-500 unknown people with Patiya Police Station.
Meanwhile, Patiya thana SI Zakir Hossain filed another case against 39 identified people, including the arrested 26 workers, on Monday morning.
A process is also underway to file another case in this connection, the OC said.
On Sunday noon, several hundred agitating Muslims attacked Lakhara Abhaya Buddhist Bihar and torched it.
They also attacked Ratnangkur Buddhist Bihar and Nabarun Sangha Durga temple in Kolagaon and Matri temple of the Hindus and vandalised those.
Twenty-six people were arrested in connection with the attack on the temples on Sunday. Most of the arrestees were the workers of Western Marine Shipyard.
The mob attacked the temples hearing a report that a non-Muslim youth at Merunloa village in Ramu upazila of Cox's Bazar on Saturday posted a photograph on the wall of his facebook account disgracing the holy Quran. In Cox's Bazar, police on Monday arrested 58 people from different parts of the district in connection with Sunday's violence.
Additional Police Super Babul Akther said police arrested eight people from Ramu upazila, 19 from Sadar upazila and 31 from Ukhia upazila of the district.
Meanwhile, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in the district to maintain law and order. Besides, army personnel joined the locals in the rehabilitation and repair works of the houses of the victims. A sectarian violence broke out at Ramu upazila in Cox's Bazar on Saturday night after the Buddhist youth reportedly posted a photograph disgracing the holy Quran on the wall of his facebook account.
Eleven Buddhist temples and 30 houses of the Buddhist people were vandalised during the violence.
bdnews adds: Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Monday said he suspected those involved in torching and wrecking Buddhist temples and homes in Cox's Bazaar's Ramu Upazila were members of local and international fundamentalist organisations.
Alamgir spoke about his belief after a meeting he had at his office with the leaders of Bangladesh Bouddha Samaj Surokkha Committee (the Committee to protect Buddhist Society).
"We suspect those who have done this are linked with local and international fundamental organisations. They used gun powder for setting off fire. They had brought petrol and kerosene with them too. The incident would not have unfolded this way unless it was pre-planned and without support from local and foreign organisations," Alamgir told reporters.
On Sunday, he alleged the local BNP MP supported the hate attacks on the Buddhist village.
Alamgir said the 16-strong team of Buddhist leaders was thankful to him for his 'prompt action against the attackers'.
According to him, the 166 people police arrested from Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong following the attack were fundamentalists and their associates.
He said 17 cases were filed accusing the arrestees of looting and repressing women.
He claimed the process of rebuilding the troubled locality had begun and the government was committed to have it done at the earliest.
Asked about the allegation that the law enforcers' negligence made things cataclysmic, Alamgir promised necessary action based on the findings of the enquiry committee the divisional authorities formed on Sunday. The panel is due to complete its investigation in 10 days.
And for the second day, he blamed local BNP MP Lutfor Rahman Kajal for instigating the riot.
Buddhist leaders said the minister promised putting the culprits behind the attack on trial in 10 days.
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