Attack on Buddhists
It was pre-planned
Say protesters
A number of organisations yesterday joined the condemnation of the recent attack on Buddhist temples and monasteries in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong and said in unison that it was pre-planned.
From different protest programmes, they demanded arrest and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators, compensation to the victims, and security to the minorities. The perpetrators have to be brought to book to maintain communal harmony and peace in the region, they said.
It is clear that the attack was pre-planned as many people got united and started the vandalism within half an hour into the posting of the Facebook photo, said Rana Dasgupta, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad.
"The number of people belonging to the minority communities in this region has dropped to 9.6 percent now from 29.7 percent in 1947 due to continued repression," he told a joint press conference organised by the Oikya Parishad, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Bangladesh Adivasi Forum at Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
An anti-communal platform of teachers, writers, artists, and cultural and political personalities held a rally in front of the National Museum and gave a three-day ultimatum to the government for identifying the culprits through forming a judicial inquiry committee with a high court judge.
Protest programmes were also held at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University and in Barisal.
The organisations include Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, Sector Commanders Forum, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Gonotantrik Bam Morcha, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, Human Environment Rights Society, Bangladesh Film Director's Association, Bangladesh Chhatra League, and Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Dal.
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