'People want peace, parties want strife'

Tension is mounting in the remote village as leaders of both ruling BNP and opposition Awami League are trying to politicise an incident of damaging the image of a Hindu goddess at a temple there, they said.

Some unidentified miscreants damaged the image on the night of July 22. Local people did not file any case to avoid any untoward incident and police.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

But the incident came to light when a news was published in two Bangla dailies.

Seeing the newspaper report, the Nilphamari Police Superintendent visited the spot and assured the local people of punishment of the culprits.

After his visit, one Suresh Chakravarty filed a case with Domar thana without naming any suspect.

Soon, leaders of BNP and Awami League started blaming each other for the incident.

Nilphamari district BNP joint convenor Alamgir Sarkar alleged that the incident was a conspiracy to defame the government and that Awami League as trying to fish in troubled water.

Chairman of Domar Sadar Union Parishad Monsurul Islam Danu and Domar upazila BNP president Modabbar Hosen Manu went one step further. They alleged that AL men damaged the image to embarrass the BNP government.

On Saturday, Awami League Central Publicity Secretary and lawmaker from Nilphamari Sadar Asaduzzamn Noor and another AL MP from the area, Mrs Hamida Banu Shovha, visited the spot and held BNP responsible for the incident.

"Oppression and violence will not demoralise us", they said and urged the local people not to be frightened.

During a visit to the area, some local people told this correspondent that they wanted to keep themselves away from politicians over the incident. Sixty-five year-old Phonibhusan Chakravarty said, "It was a conspiracy".

Farmer Mohini Chandra Roy, 55, said, "We want peace. We are against any provocation. We want justice from God."

Gram Police Hori Kishna, 50, said, "Politicians want to create trouble."