Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday said all those who instigated communal violence and carried out attacks in different parts of the country, including Cumilla, have been identified. “The kinds of provocation leading to attacks on people and riots, and those who unleashed such incidents have been identified. They’ve been identified,” he said. He was addressing an event marking the Community Policing Day 2021 at Rajarbagh Police Lines in the capital on Saturday. Narrating the importance of community policing, he said, "We’ve been able to tackle the recent violence with the help of people. We’ve been able to unearth the mystery of the incident. That’s why our community needs to be more vigilant, to help the police,” he said. Read: A series of rehabilitation steps taken for victims of communal violence He also said it is not possible to provide security in each house to maintain law and order. “But if people remain vigilant, if they give information to the police at the right time, we can give them security,” the minister added. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed said although community policing is a new concept in Bangladesh, it is an old practice in many Asian countries. "This practice is also quite common in Singapore. When racial violence broke out in the USA, they successfully introduced community policing,” the IGP said. Read: Communal violence: Citizens demand exemplary punishment for perpetrators “Cybercrimes have increased alarmingly. It is a big threat to the security of the country and people. We’ve to prepare for that,” he added. Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, IGP Benazir Ahmed, eminent academic and writer Zafar Iqbal, and DMP Commissioner Mohammad Shafiqul Islam inaugurated the Community Policing Day 2021 by cutting a cake and releasing balloons.

Iqbal Hossain and three others accused in an alleged case of desecration of Quran at a temporary Puja site in Cumilla's Nanuwar Dighir Par have been remanded for a further five days, allowing police to further quiz them. Cumilla Senior Judicial Magistrate Farhana Sultana granted the remand Friday afternoon after police applied for a seven-day remand in the case of hurting religious sentiments. Mohammad Rezwan, police super of Cumilla Criminal Investigation Department (CID), confirmed the development to UNB. Iqbal and three others – Ekram, who called 999 after the incident, and Daroga Bari shrine caretakers Humayun Kabir and Faisal – need to be questioned further as they have started disclosing facts, Rezwan said. The previous seven-day remand ended Friday. Police handed over the Quran desecration case against Iqbal Hossain and three others to the CID on October 24. Read: Quran desecration case against Iqbal, 3 others transferred to CID The instruction came from the Police Headquarters, Rezwan said. "Also, the law enforcers took Iqbal to the Daroga Bari Mazar Mosque pond at night. At 11pm the divers found the mace which went missing from Nanuar Dighi puja site in Cumilla city," Parimal Das, inspector of Cumilla Detective Branch of Police, said. In footage of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, Iqbal could be seen taking the Quran from a local mosque and entering a Durga Puja site. He is later seen walking away with a mace, taken from an idol of Lord Hanuman.

Reiterating his mother and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s commitment to provide security for Hindus in Bangladesh, Sajeeb Wazed Joy has called for strong punishment for the perpetrators of the recent bout of communal violence in the country. Calling the attacks on Hindu temples since October 13 as the most “deplorable in the country’s history”, Joy used his social media account to counter the "conspirators" who staged the drama of desecrating the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue in Cumilla. Terming the alliance between Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat–e-Islami as the “evil ghosts of Pakistan in Bangladesh”, Joy held those radical parties responsible for the attacks on temples in as many as 12 districts across the country that left seven people dead. He said those parties have a long track record for “playing the religion card” in the country’s politics. “A vested quarter was pushing the country into the pit of darkness by misrepresenting Islam and instilling intolerance among people. BNP and Jamaat have always played their religion card, turning Muslims against non-Muslims and creating apprehension among people. This time it was no exception.” Sharing a video of the violence, Joy dubbed the “recent spate of attacks as a deep rooted conspiracy against the country”. Read: A series of rehabilitation steps taken for victims of communal violence Only within 300 meters from the mandap is the residence of Cumilla City Mayor Monirul Haque Sakku, who has been nominated from BNP, the narration on the video added. Elaborating on BNP’s role following the violence, he alleged that “this party is constantly blaming the government for the recent religious violence.” "But, while people, in general, are coming to the street to protest against the communal clashes, BNP has not launched any protest. Rather, they are desperately trying to save the main culprit Iqbal who placed the Quran on the lap of a Hindu idol at the dead of the night." On the involvement of the activists and leaders of Nurul Haq Nur's party behind the attack on temple in Chttogram, the video mentioned “Police arrested, by observing the CCTV footage, 10 people on charge of attacking the mandap at JM Sen Hall in Chittagong. Among them, nine are the leaders and activists of different wings of the political party founded by Nurul Haque Nur, who has already played a vital role in the anti-government propaganda. “In the past, BNP and Jamaat activists took to the street with the banner of Nur’s party and clashed with police only to foil the celebration of the 50th birth anniversary of Bangladesh. Centring that issue, Hefajat activists tried to create instability in the country”, the video narration read. Reminding the inclusion of secularism as one of the founding pillars of Bangladesh by his grandfather, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Joy said, “Banganahdu established secularism as one of the pillars of the constitution. Bangabandhu initiated a culture of communal harmony in Bangladesh.” Read: Communal violence: Citizens demand exemplary punishment for perpetrators Joy referred to the rise of “Pakistan backed political parties and government in his country following the assassination of Banganahdu, along with most members of his family on August 15, 1975. In the video Joy said “Following his( Bangabandhu’s) assassination, military rulers virtually ripped that constitution apart. That darkest period witnessed the rise of the Pro-Pakistan political party and the government. The spirit of the Liberation War was fading away.” The secularism principle was removed from the Bangladesh constitution in 1977 by then president Gen Ziaur Rahman and replaced with a statement of 'absolute trust and faith in Almighty Allah'. Islam was declared the State religion in 1988. In 2010, under Sheikh Hasina at the helm of the government, the Bangladesh Supreme Court restored secularism to the constitution, he mentioned.

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking directions for a judicial inquiry into the attacks on Hindu temples and houses across the country during Durga Puja.   Two lawyers, including advocate Anup Kumar Saha, have filed the writ petition. It was filed on Thursday (Oct 26), said Jyotirmoy Barua, counsel for the petitioners. Read: A series of rehabilitation steps taken for victims of communal violence The hearing for the writ might be held on Wednesday (Oct 27) at HC bench of Justice Mojibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah, he said Jyotirmoy Barua said that instructions have been sought to ensure the safety of the Hindu community, rehabilitate the victims providing compensation and take departmental action against the police officers who failed to provide security to the community. Besides, BTRC has also been asked to remove posts and videos from the online platform that have affected the communal harmony. Read: Hindu community stages protest against communal violence Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Information, Communication and Technology Secretary, Social Welfare Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Chairman of BTRC, Comilla, Chandpur, Noakhali, Chittagong, Rangpur and DC-SP of Feni have been named as the respondents in the petition.

Police handed over the Quran desecration case against Iqbal Hossain and three others to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Sunday. The instruction came from the Police Headquarters, Mohammad Rezwan, police super of Cumilla CID, told UNB. "Also, the law enforcers took Iqbal to the Daroga Bari Mazar Mosque pond at night. At 11pm the divers found the mace which went missing from Nanuar Dighi puja site in Cumilla city," Parimal Das, inspector of Cumilla Detective Branch of Police, told UNB. In footage of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, Iqbal could be seen taking the Quran from a local mosque and entering a Durga Puja site. He is later seen walking away with a mace, taken from an idol of Lord Hanuman. Read: Iqbal, the prime suspect in Bangladesh communal violence, brought to Cumilla

Madrasa teacher Kamaluddin Abbasi has confessed to leading communal attacks on puja mandaps in Hajiganj upazila in Chandpur on October 13. Chandpur Senior Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Kamal Uddin recorded his confessional statement on Thursday evening and sent him to jail, said police on Saturday. Earlier in the day, Abbasi was identified from CCTV footage and was later arrested from Hajiganj. Abbasi is a lecturer of Arabic at Bholadighi Kamil Madrasa in Sharasti area and resident of Hajiganj upazila. Read: Mohib Ullah murder: Killing squad member Azizul “confesses to involvement” Principal of the madrasa Delwar Hossain said Abbasi was a follower of the peer of Furfura Sharif but he has no involvement with Jamaat. But detectives said Abbasi was an active member of Jamaat. On October 13, five people died in a clash with police when a group of miscreants attacked Hajiganj Bazar temple in protest against desecration of the Holy Quran in Cumilla. Officer-in-charge of Hajiganj police station Harunur Rashid told UNB that police have filed two cases in this regard while eight complaints were lodged by the authorities of vandalised puja mandaps. Read: Two held for Rangpur arson attacks 'admit guilt' So far, 33 people, including Abbasi, have been arrested in these cases. Around 250 named and another 2,500 anonymous people were made accused in these 10 cases, said the OC. Superintendent of Police Milon Mahmud said those involved in the attack are being held seeing the CCTV footage collected from the cameras around the spots.

'Concert against Violence' was held in front of the 'Raju Bhashkorjo' of Dhaka University protesting all the communal attacks on Friday.  Popular bands including Shironamhin featured at the 'Concert against Violence' that started around 3pm.

Police Thursday night held a man suspecting him to be Iqbal Hossain, who was identified earlier as the one who kept a copy of the Quran at a Durga Puja venue in Cumilla, drawing accusations of desecrating the Quran hurled at the Hindu community and triggering communal tension and violence across the country. "He was detained from the Cox's Bazar sea beach at around 10:30pm and was sent to Cumilla right away," Rafiqul Islam, Cox's Bazar additional superintendent of police, told UNB. "Cumilla police will confirm if the detainee is the key suspect Iqbal," he added. Police identified Iqbal, the prime suspect of the Cumilla puja venue incident, Wednesday after scrutinising the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. Read: Provocation perhaps there behind Cumilla incident: Home Minister He is believed to have placed the holy Quran inside Nanuar Dighi Par puja mandap in Cumilla city in the early hours of October 13, which led to attacks on Durga Puja venues across the country recently.

Law enforcement agencies have arrested nine people for their alleged involvement in the recent communal attacks on Hindu temples, idols and properties during the Durga Puja celebrations at Chowmuhani in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila. Md Nizam Uddin, 32, Md Russell, 36, Abdul Motaleb Bablu alias Bablu, 47, Md Shahadat Hossain, 34, Golam Kibria Sumon, 32, Anwarul Azim, 40, of Begumganj upazila, were arrested by Rab. Khandaker Md Shamim Hossain, Rab-11 company commander in a press release issued on Wednesday said they arrested the accused from different parts of Begumganj on Tuesday. The Rab official said they arrested them after identifying through CCTV footages from the spots. Read: Stay alert against communal forces, says Quader The arrested have been handed over to the police in 4 cases filed with Begumganj Model Police Station, said Rab. Meanwhile, the police arrested three people after seeing video footage of protests and attacks at different places including Puja Mandapas in  Chowmuhani  Bazar of Begumganj Upazila. District Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shahidul Islam PPM confirmed this on Wednesday noon. He added that a total of 80 people have been arrested in this regard. Read: No tolerance for communal attacks: Quader On Friday, some miscreants in the Chowmuhani Bazar area vandalized and carried out arson attacks on puja mandaps, Hindu temples and some shops. To keep the situation under control, additional troops of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action battalion (Rab), armed police and other law enforcement agencies were deployed in the area. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamsun Nahar said the situation in the area is peaceful after the imposition of section 144.

As many as 72 cases regarding last week’s communal violence have been registered and 450 people have been arrested across the country till Tuesday, police said. AIG (Inspection) of police headquarter Mohammad Shah Jalal, who is in additional charge of AIG (Media), said on Wednesday more cases are being filed and the operation to arrest the accused is continuing. Besides the police, special units of the force have been involved in unravelling the facts behind the violence and crime, he said. Technology-based investigations are underway to unravel the mystery quickly. Cyber monitoring has also been intensified to curb rumours and incitement through social media.