Awami League leader orders bombing in front of Hindu temple in Munshiganj to incite anarchy
Detained Rifat, 21
Following the resignation and ousting of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a series of attacks targeting minority Hindu communities in the country have been reported.
Some media outlets in neighboring India have portrayed these attacks as communal violence, without backing of any substantial evidence.
These media, which have labeled the student-led revolution as an ISI-backed uprising orchestrated by political opponents, blame parties such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami for the violence.
However, at least one of the attacks has been traced to an order from an Awami League leader, a party often praised by Indian media for its support of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
A recent bomb explosion in front of the Poddar Bari Sri Sri Radhagobind Temple in Furshail village, Sirajdikhan, has alarmed the Hindu community and heightened political tensions.
This attack, which occurred on Friday night, is alleged to have been orchestrated by an Awami League leader.
Villagers detained two local youths, Rifaat and Samit Bepari, in connection with the bombing. Rifaat has claimed that Masud Khan, the General Secretary of Malkhanganj Union Awami League, ordered the attack.
A third suspect, Tuhin, managed to escape.
The incident has fueled outrage among locals, who have criticized the police for their slow response. Union Parishad members then contacted the army, who arrived on Saturday morning to find that the detainees had already fled.
Khorshed Alam, General Secretary of Malkhanganj Union BNP, has accused the Awami League of staging the attack to tarnish the BNP's reputation.
He alleges that while BNP members were protecting the temple, it was Awami League supporters who were behind the violence.
This incident has further escalated political tensions in the region and raised concerns about potential future unrest.
Local UP member and panel chairman Md. Zaman reported, “The army arrived, but the miscreants had already escaped. We are staying vigilant to prevent further acts of terrorism by other criminals.”
Masud Khan, reached by phone by the daily Samakal, however denied involvement, stating, “I am not connected to this incident. I only heard this morning that my name was mentioned after the boys were frightened.”
Upazila Executive Officer Sabbir Ahmed told Desh Rupantar newspaper that he was informed about the incident that night and instructed that the boys should not be harmed. “I later learned that the army had arrived in the morning.”
According to locals, around 11 PM on Friday, three youths detonated a bomb in front of the Radhagobind Temple gate.
Residents managed to detain Rifaat and Tuhin, who later confessed that the explosion was carried out on the orders of Masud Khan, General Secretary of Malkhanganj Union Awami League, to incite panic.
Ward 5 UP member Dolwar Hossain confirmed that a bomb threat had caused panic.
However, the culprits had been released to their guardians before his arrival. Although the army reached Malkhanganj Union Parishad at 11 AM on Saturday, Rifaat and Tuhin had already left their homes.
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