Describing the recent incident in Cumilla as very unfortunate, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the Awami League leaders and activists to intensify their vigilance to maintain communal harmony across the country. “Communal harmony has to be maintained. Our leaders and activists should intensify their monitoring in every area,” she said while virtually opening the newly-constructed office building for Awami League’s Cumilla City Unit from her official residence Ganobhaban. Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, asked her party leaders and activists to take initiatives for holding ‘peace conferences’ and bringing out ‘peace processions’ so that no conflict can occur and people from all religions like Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Buddhists live in a peaceful life on this soil. What happened in Cumilla, she said, is very unfortunate. “Islam never allows disgracing the religions’ others. Alongside respecting one's own religion, one has to respect others’ religions as well,” she said. Read: WTO rules to help Bangladesh more after graduation: Hasina The Prime Minister said if the religions of other communities are vilified, it ultimately demeans one’s own religion. “If we analyze the Cumilla incident, we would see our holy Quran was defamed while going to undermine other religions, which is very unfortunate.” The Prime Minister urged people not to take law into their own hands. “If anyone commits an offence, the perpetrators would have to face justice, no matter who he or she is. Our government would try them.” She said the Prophet (SM) asked not to do excesses over the religion. “Everyone must know, keep it in mind and follow it,” she added. Hasina said those who sacrificed their lives in the great Liberation War are from all religions. The people from all religions shed their blood there. So, we all will have to keep it in mind that Bangladesh is of the people of all religions and castes.” Referring to the recent incidents of breaking communal harmony, including in Cumilla and Pirganj of Rangpur, the Prime Minister said the government took all sorts of arrangements for the victims like providing them with dry and cooked foods, clothes and treatment. “We’ll build houses for all the victims. We’ve already taken this step,” she said, adding that Awami League is always with victims. When her government is taking the country forward in every sector, the Prime Minister said there is a section of people here who cannot tolerate the progress. They, particularly BNP-Jamaat and Khaleda, do not want Bangladesh to move on raising its head high with dignity because of their love for Pakistan. Read: Hasina unveils state-of-the-art exhibition centre in Purbachal Focusing on her government’s development activities for Cumilla, Hasina said she has decided to upgrade Faridpur and Cumilla into new divisions after the names of the country’s two major rivers – Padma and Meghna. The PM said she will form Cumilla division after the name of Meghna’ while Faridpur after that of ‘Padma’. LGRD Minister Tazul Islam, AL organising secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon and local Awami League MP AKM Bahauddin and other local AL leaders joined the virtual the function from the new office building.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Tuesday said police have identified the prime suspect of the Cumilla puja mandap incident. “I hope the prime suspect in Cumilla incident will be arrested soon …he’s changing his location frequently. We’ll be able to unfold the Cumilla incident once he’s arrested,” he said. The minister revealed the information while speaking at a programme on ‘Technological Modernization of Rab’ held at the Rab headquarters. Those who are trying to unleash communal violence and provoke people will be arrested soon, he said. “We’ve seen some unpleasant incidents at puja mandaps this year and some people attempted to vandalize a temple in Chandpur centering the Cumilla incident. Police had to face trouble in bringing the situation under control. Four people died and another succumbed to injuries at a hospital on Tuesday morning,” said Asaduzzaman. Read:Cumilla incident: DIG says offenders to be hunted down Besides, attempts were made to destabilize the situation in Ramu, Nasirnagar and Bhola spreading rumours through social networking site Facebook, he said. “A vested quarter is involved in spreading propaganda in the country through uploading video footage of many brutal incidents that took place in the country in different times in the past in the social networking sites. These are condemnable and unfortunate,” he added. Read:Cumilla incident: BGB troops deployed in 22 districts Issuing a warning, the minister said those who are trying to get benefitted by spreading such rumours will be hunted down and punished. Asaduzzaman urged people to control excitement after watching such incidents on Facebook and refrain from doing anything out of provocation.  These are harmful and the Rangpur incident is an example, he added.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday directed the Home Minister to hunt down those who were involved in the recent communal attacks in the country and take stern action against them. “She has again given a clear instruction to the Home Minister to take stern action against those who were behind the incidents as soon as possible completing investigations,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam replying to a question at a briefing after the virtual Cabinet meeting. Read: Rangpur: 1 arrested in Joypurhat under DSA, 42 for arson He said the religious and political personalities were simultaneously requested to raise public awareness and not to react to anyone’s small twist of act. The Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet meeting joining it from her official residence Ganobhaban. Other cabinet members were connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.

Those involved in the Rangpur incident will be brought to book, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Monday. “So far, police have detained 44 people with the help of the local people and we’re trying to know whether it’s a motivated and planned one. Those involved in it will be brought to justice,” he said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat. Read:42 detained over Rangpur arson attacks

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said the Cumilla incident was planned for destroying the communal harmony of the country. “It appears to us that it was a motivated act instigated by a vested group,” said the minister while talking to reporters at the Secretariat. He also smelled provocations by ‘a third party’ in the sporadic violence in the country over Durga Puja. Read:Several identified, suspected instigators held over Cumilla incident: Home Minister Asked about the reason behind the Cumilla incident, the minister said, “We’ll make it public once we get all the evidence and those who were involved in it will be given exemplary punishment.” “Not only in Cumilla, attempts were also made to destabilize the country through communal violence in Ramu and Nasirnagar,” he said. “The people of Bangladesh are religious but, not fanatic. We never allowed militancy and terrorism on the soil of Bangladesh. We contained militancy and terrorism through united efforts,” said Asaduzzaman. Read:Don’t hide drug addiction in family, seek early medical treatment: Home Minister Soon after the Cumilla incident, four lives were lost at Hajiganj in Chandpur and some policemen were also injured, he said, adding some small incidents also occurred in Noakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Feni districts. “No incident has been reported since Saturday night. Our security forces are working with patience and we work on intelligence information. Those who are trying to destroy communal peace will not succeed,” said the minister. Regarding BNP’s allegation over government’s involvement in Cumilla incident, the minister said these statements are not based on facts as those are motivated ones.

Several people involved in the Cumilla incident have been identified and some suspected instigators detained, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday. “We’ll hunt down those involved in the incident. We’ve identified some of them and they’ll be held without any delay,” he said. The home minister made the remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting with senior officials of the police, BGB and Rab. Read:Cumilla incident: DIG says offenders to be hunted down “We’re investigating the incident. We’ll let you know after the investigation. So far, it appears to us that it’s a motivated act planned by a vested group,” he said. Some of the suspects have been detained in Cumilla and they are being interrogated, he added. Amid the escalating tension over the Cumilla incident, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in 22 districts, including Chattogram, Cumilla, Narsingdi and Munshiganj districts to assist the civil administration. The BGB troops have been deployed following the demand of local administrations and as per the directives of the Home Ministry to ensure security during the ongoing Durga Puja celebrations across the country, said BGB Director (operation) Lt Col Foyjur Rahman. Read:Cumilla incident: BGB troops deployed in 22 districts Earlier, eight platoons of BGB members were deployed in different parts of Chattogram district to maintain law and order in the wake of tension triggered by desecration of holy Quran in Cumilla. The BGB troops were deployed around 9 pm on Wednesday and they will remain out there till October 16, said deputy commissioner of Chattogram Mominur Rahman. The incident occurred on Wednesday when the Hindu devotees are celebrating Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Those who were involved in the Cumilla incident will be hunted down, said Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Chattogram Range Anwar Hossain. “Efforts are on to identify those involved in desecration of the holy Quran after checking the close circuit camera (CCTV) footage and the offenders will be hunted down,” said DIG Anwar while visiting the spot, Nanuar Dighirparh, in the morning. Meanwhile, additional security measures have been taken to avert any untoward incident, he said, adding, “The [law and order] situation in the area is still calm.” Already, four platoons of BGB members have been deployed and police and Rab are patrolling the area, he added. Two separate probe bodies—one by the local administration and another by the district police—will be formed to look into the incident. Also read: 1016 platoons BGB deployed Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has warned that those involved in the Cumilla incident will be brought to justice and no offender will be spared. “It’s an act of an evil communal force, and those who attack Hindu temples won’t be spared either, even if they belong to any party,” Obaidul Quader said while addressing the Mahastami (8th day) of Durga Puja at KIB premises in the capital on Wednesday evening. He said a united resistance has to be built against those who want to destroy the communal harmony in the country before the national election. Besides, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan has urged the people of the country to exercise restraint and not to take law into their own hands over the desecration of the holy Quran in Cumilla. Also read: None of those involved in Cumilla incident to be spared: Obaidul Quader “Don’t take law into your own hands. Everyone should maintain religious harmony and peace,” he said in an emergency announcement on Wednesday evening. “We’re closely monitoring the situation in Cumilla. The local administration has been instructed to investigate what really happened [there].” he said. “Anyone involved in destroying religious harmony [in the country] must be brought under the ambit of law and arrangements be made to give proper punishment,” the state minister added.

Amid the escalating tension over the Cumilla incident, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in 22 districts, including Chattogram, Cumilla, Narsingdi and Munshiganj districts to assist the civil administration.  The BGB troops have been deployed following the demand of local administrations and as per the directives of the Home Ministry to ensure security during the ongoing Durga Puja celebrations across the country, said BGB Director (operation) Lt Col Foyjur Rahman. “BGB troops will be deployed in Dhaka too, if needed,” he said. Earlier, eight platoons of BGB members have been deployed in different parts of Chattogram district to maintain law and order in the wake of tension triggered by desecration of holy Quran in Cumilla. Also read: 1016 platoons BGB deployed The BGB troops were deployed around 9 pm on Wednesday and they will remain out there till October 16, said deputy commissioner of Chattogram Mominur Rahman. The incident occurred on Wednesday when the Hindu devotees are celebrating Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Sources at the local administration said two platoons of BGB troops have been deployed in Hathazari and Banshkhali upazilas each, one each in Patiya, Sitakunda, Fatikchhari and Chandanish upazilas of the district. Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has warned that those involved in the Cumilla incident will be brought to justice and no offender will be spared. “It’s an act of an evil communal force, and those who attack Hindu temples won’t be spared either, even if they belong to any party,” Obaidul Quader said while addressing the Mahastami (8th day) of Durga Puja at KIB premises in the capital on Wednesday evening. He said a united resistance has to be built against those who want to destroy the communal harmony in the country before the national election. Besides, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan has urged the people of the country to exercise restraint and not to take law into their own hands over the reported desecration of the holy Quran in Cumilla. Also read: None of those involved in Cumilla incident to be spared: Obaidul Quader “Don’t take law into your own hands. Everyone should maintain religious harmony and peace,” he said in an emergency announcement on Wednesday evening. “We’re closely monitoring the situation in Cumilla. The local administration has been instructed to investigate what really happened [there].” he said. “Anyone involved in destroying religious harmony [in the country] must be brought under the ambit of law and arrangements be made to give proper punishment,” the state minister added.

Eight platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in different parts of Chattogram district to maintain law and order situation in the wake of tension triggered by desecration of holy Quran in Cumilla. The BGB troops were deployed around 9 pm on Wednesday and they will remain out there till October 16, said deputy commissioner of Chattgoram Mominur Rahman. The incident occurred on Wednesday when the Hindu devotees are celebrating Durga Puja, the greatest religious festivals of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Sources at the local administration said two platoons of BGB troops have been deployed in Hathazari and Banshkhali upazilas each, one each in Patiya, Sitakunda, Fatikchhari and Chandanish upazilas of the district. Also read: None of those involved in Cumilla incident to be spared: Obaidul Quader Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has warned that those involved in the Cumilla incident will be brought to justice and no offender will be spared. “It’s an act of an evil communal force, and those who attack Hindu temples won’t be spared either, even if they belong to any party,” Obaidul Quader said while addressing the Mahastami (8th day) of Durga Puja at KIB premises in the capital on Wednesday evening. Read: “Desecration of holy Quran” in Cumilla, govt urges calm He said a united resistance has to be built against those who want to destroy the communal harmony in the country before the national election.