Calling Bangladesh a non-communal country, Religious Affairs Minister Md Faridul Haque Khan on Saturday warned that exemplary punishments will be taken against those who were involved with the deaths of two construction workers in a mob beating following a fire in a temple in Madhukhali upazila of Faridpur on Thursday night.
He said this while talking to the family members of the victims, also two brothers, during a visit to their house in Ghoperghat village under Naowarpara union of the upazila.
The minister condoled the victims’ parents and assured them of taking exemplary punishment against the accused involved with the mob beating, bringing them under trial.
Temple fire: BGB deployed after mob attack kills two youths in Faridpur
Faridul said, “I just want to tell you one thing, the honourable Prime Minister has instructed me, I also want to tell the administration quoting the Honourable Prime Minister that you (administration) will do whatever is necessary for the sake of justice at the earliest and let it be justice.”
Addressing the country as a non-communal one, he said no one else can commit such misdeeds and the criminals should not dare to do this in any other place.
Urging all to be patient, he expressed gratitude to all who stood by the victims’ families.
Minister Faridul provided the victims’ parents with the financial assistance of Tk two lakh. The injured will be given Tk 25000 each.
During the visit, he offered a prayer for the salvation of departed souls of the brothers at the graveyard and inspected the Hindu-dominated Panchpalli village where the mob beating occurred on Thursday night and talked to local residents.
Secretary to the ministry Md A Hamid Zamadder, district deputy commissioner Md Qamrul Islam and superintendent of police Mohammad Morshed Alam and other officials accompanied the minister.
On Thursday afternoon, a fire broke out at Kali idols of the Barwari temple in Hindu-dominated Panchpalli village.
Hindu residents became angry over the incident and they locked seven workers on suspicion of their involvement in the desecration of the idols.
The workers were constructing a wash block at Panchapalli Government Primary School, 20 yards off the temple.
On information, Madhukhali police and upazila administration officials rushed to the spot but the mob also confined them. Later with the help of Faridpur District Sadar and Rajbari District Police, the besieged people were rescued after a few hours.
Seven workers were rescued with injuries and taken to Madhukhali Upazila Health Complex and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital in Faridpur. Two of the injured succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.
The deceased were identified as Ashraful, 21, and his younger brother Ashadul, 15, sons of Shahjahan Khan of Ghoperghat village under Naowarpara union of the upazila.
Later, three platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members led by a magistrate were deployed along with police to ease the tensions in the Dumain area.