23 killed in 174 communal violence incidents in 4 months

A total of 174 incidents of communal violence have occurred in the country in the last four and a half months and 23 people have been killed during this period.

In addition, there have been nine incidents of torture and rape of women, 64 attacks on places of worship, 15 arrests and torture on charges of alleged insult to religion, 38 attacks, vandalism, looting and arson on houses and businesses, and 25 forcible occupations of houses, land and businesses during the time.

This information was revealed at a press conference of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club on Thursday (January 30).

At the press conference, leaders of the organisation said, these incidents of communal violence occurred in different parts of the country, especially at the rural level, between August 21 and December 31 last year.

Manindra Kumar Nath, acting general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, presented a written statement at the press conference.

The presidents of the Unity Council, Dr Nim Chandra Bhowmik, Ushatan Talukder, Nirmal Rosario, presidium members Bhikkhu Sunanda Priya, Professor Niranjan Karmakar, organizing secretary Advocate Dipankar Ghosh, among others, were present at the press conference.