Communal harmony will be protected at any cost in secular Bangladesh, economist Dr Ashikur Rahman has said, following the Cumilla incident.
"There is a deep-rooted ongoing effort to destabilize communal harmony in the country. Few days ago, such an effort was thwarted in Bhola. But it seems like radicals within Jamaat-e-Islam and Hefazat-e-Islam are desperately trying to find an angle to destabilise the country. But this is Bangladesh - a nation conceived to champion a secular political fabric. So, no matter how powerful this conspiracy is - it will be thwarted with even greater force," Dr Rahman, also an executive member of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League said, in a Facebook post.
On Wednesday, communal tensions flared in Cumilla over an alleged case of dishonouring the Quran amid Durga Puja at Nanua Dighi. Crowds clashed with police and vandalised idols in the area.
Puja venues were also vandalised in Chandpur, Chattogram, Chapainawabganj and Moulvibazar and clashes resulted in casualties.
The government has deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at different districts across the country with an objective to keep law and order situation stable during the ongoing Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the people involved in vandalizing Hindu temples must face exemplary punishment, calling upon all to work in unison and remain vigilant to stop recurrence of such heinous acts.
"We have already taken proper measures (against ransacking of Hindu temples). Those who carry out such incidents will definitely be traced out as we did in the past. Exemplary punishment will be given to them irrespective of their religions so that none can dare to do so in future," she said.
