Durga Puja violence: Govt committed to saving citizens, says Bangladesh FM

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said the law-enforcing authorities are investigating the recent communal violence in the country which happened during the Durga puja celebrations.

"Contrary to all the ongoing propaganda, only 6 people died during recent violence of which 4 were Muslims, killed during the encounters with law enforcing authorities, and 2 were Hindus, one of whom had normal death and another when he jumped in a pond. None was raped and not a single Mandir was destroyed. However, deities or goddesses were vandalized," Bangladesh FM said in a statement.

"The law enforcing authorities are investigating into the matter. The government is committed to hand out justice to every wrongdoer and to save all its citizens irrespective of their faiths," he added.

While regretting the incidents of violence, the minister informed that the Sheikh Hasina government took immediate action against the perpetrators.

"The perpetrators have been arrested and now they are under police custody. About 20 houses were burned down. They have been rebuilt and everyone got compensation. More compensation is underway," he said.

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister even said "enthusiastic media and individuals" are spreading cooked-up stories centring on the recent violence basically to embarrass the government that is committed to religious harmony.

Expressing the commitment to religious harmony, the minister noted that the number of Puja Mondops increased admirably in every place in Bangladesh.

"It may be mentioned that in recent years, the number of Puja Mondops increased admirably in every place in Bangladesh including individuals' houses as government pays money for every Puja Mondop," he said.

Momen also informed that a probe is underway in the incident wherein a person left a copy of the Holy Quran near the foot of a deity which sparked outrage on social media.

"Reportedly a drug-addict person left a copy of the Holy Quran near the foot of a deity when there was no worshippers or organizer at the Puja Mondop and another person took a photo of it and put it up in the social media, Facebook, sparking outrage," he said.