Ramu violence linked to Rakhine's: CPB, BSD
The Ramu violence has a link to the sectarian clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state of Myanmar, leaders of two left-leaning parties said yesterday.
The Rohingya Muslims might have perpetrated the incident to build unity with Bangladeshi local Muslim community as their relationship is not good, they told a press conference at the capital's Mukti Bhaban.
The leaders of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) recently visited the affected areas in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong.
BSD leader Bazlur Rashid Firoz said national and international conspiracies were behind the violence against Ramu's Buddhists. He also blamed a lack of responsibility of intelligence agencies and administration.
According to local people, the attackers were from ruling Awami League, BNP, and Jamaat-e-Islami, who held a demonstration before the violence to protest the defamation of the holy Quran, he said.
A mob destroyed 12 pagodas and more than 50 houses in Ramu on the night of September 29, apparently angered by a Facebook photo derogatory to the holy Quran.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Human Rights Commission formed a human chain in front of the capital's Jatiya Press Club yesterday, recommending formation of two separate committees to investigate the incidents in Ramu and Ukhia.
An international committee could be formed with interested representatives from different countries populated by Buddhists, while the government could form an all-party probe committee to prove its neutrality, said a press release.
Students, teachers and officials of Dhaka University at another human chain yesterday urged the government to ensure exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
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