Bangladesh Minister blames opposition for recent attacks on Hindus

Kolkata: The recent attacks on people from minority Hindu community was a ploy by fundamentalists to destabilize the country and create anarchy, Bangladesh Minister for Information and Broadcasting, M Hasan Mahmud said, pointing fingers at the Opposition- Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)- and the Jamaat, among others.

While addressing the media at Kolkata Press Club on Thursday, Mahmud said the government had taken tough action against perpetrators, The Indian Express reported.

Mahmud said that his government aims to root out communalism and fundamentalism. In 1971, certain sections close to Pakistan had opposed Bangladesh's liberation war. He alleged that their descendants are still here- the BNP party and Jamaat- who cash in communalism.

When asked about the violence against people from the Hindu community, Mahmud said that they believe neither a Hindu nor Muslim person will put a Quran in puja mandap or a Gita in Mosque. Someone put a Quran in a puja mandap, video graphed it and put it into social media, after which atrocities happened in various places in Bangladesh. He said that their government had taken strict action against all culprits.

The minister added that 129 cases had been filed, and 1,204 have been arrested so far regarding the violence. Demolished and damaged houses have been rebuilt, and measures were taken to repair attacked temples.

He claimed that nearly 32,000 Durga Pujas were held in the country this year, and only a few were attacked. According to him, former President Gen Ershad is responsible for bringing religion into the country's Constitution.