500 sued for attack on Bhola temple, Hindu houses

A neighbourhood located about 100 metres away from the Borhanuddin Police Station and in front of the upazila health complex is named Bhawal Bari.

Bhawals once lived in the neighbourhood. Bhawal is an Indian family name of the Bengali Brahmin and Barujibi caste and Kayasthas.

Some 40 Muslim and Hindu families once bought the land from the Bhawals and have been living there since then.

On Sunday, four people were killed in a clash between a mob and police in Borhanuddin and more than 100 were injured. After the incident, a mob attacked Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Ashram temple and ransacked idols and chairs there. They also ransacked some Hindu houses and torched a motor cycle.

Satya Prasad Das, president of the temple management committee, has filed a case with the Borhanuddin Police Station accusing 400 to 500 unidentified persons of the attack.

Enamul Haque, officer-in-charge (OC) of the Borhanuddin Police Station, said police have been working to find out the culprits.

Meanwhile, a committee formed by the Bhola deputy commissioner visited the vandalised temple and houses this noon (Wednesday).

With Mamudur Rahman, local government's deputy director in the district as head of the committee, its members are additional deputy commissioner (ICT and education) Atahar Miah, additional police super (Sadar circle)  Mohsin Al Faruk and OC Enamul Huq.

The committee head along with its two members held a meeting with the notable persons in the area, alem-ulemas and leaders of the Hindu community. The committee members took their versions, information and statistics about the incident.

Satya Prasad Das said on Sunday noon more than 100 miscreants attacked the temple and ransacked eight to nine houses. They also beat him up.

Mamudur Rahman said it will take some more time to submit a complete report. He further said they will request the deputy commissioner to extend the report submission deadline by one or two.

Temple management committee's joint secretary Sanjay Das said a gang of criminals attacked the temple and Hindu houses when local people were taking the injured in Sunday's clash to the upazila health complex.  

He added that the members of Border Guard Bangladesh members and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been patrolling affected area in Borhanuddin.

Detained Biplab's brother-in-law Bidhan Majumder and his shop employee Sagor were handed over to Bidhan's father Binoy Bhusan Majumder around 1:30am on Wednesday.

Binoy Majumder said around 9:30pm Bidhan phoned him and requested him to take Bidhan from RAB office. Binoy along with his relatives and a local union parishad member went to the RAB office around 1:00am and received the duo after the law enforcers released them taking their undertakings.

Major Khan Sajib of RAB-8 camp in Bhola said they brought Bidhan and Sagor for interrogation and were released afterwards.

In another development, Maulana Mizanur Rahman, a leader of All-party Muslim Unity Council, said they had talks with the deputy commission today.

He said if the administration does not allow, they will not arrange the human chain scheduled for Thursday. However, he said, they want to hold a doa mahfil and munajat on Friday as announced earlier. The environment in Bhola has become almost normal.