An Interim government adviser on Sunday warned ‘drastic measures’ would be taken if someone tries to vandalise Durga Puja marquee or prevent people from celebrating the Hindu festival in Bangladesh.
“We will bring all the people found to be engaged in attacking puja mandaps and preventing the devotees from celebrating the puja to book,” Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain told The Daily Star.
Khalid issued the warning while visiting Shree Shree Gouranga Bari Temple.
Bangladesh witnessed a surge in attacks against Hindu temples and establishments after the fall of the former PM Sheikh Hasina-led government in August.
Several videos and media reports related to radicals targeting Hindu temples in the country went viral following the exit of Hasina from the country’s political paradigm following violent protests against her regime.
Meanwhile, newly appointed International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam on Sunday said all necessary steps will be taken to extradite former PM Sheikh Hasina from India and try her on the charge of mass killings during the student-led protests in July and August.
Hasina was the longest-serving PM of the country and recent to power for another term in January.
“We will file an application with the International Crimes Tribunal, when it resumes functions, to issue arrest warrant against all the absconding accused including Sheikh Hasina in connection with the cases filed for mass killing and crimes against humanity,” Islam was quoted as saying by The Daily Star
“Information, documents and evidence against the accused persons will have to be collected from across the country and those will have to be compiled, examined and placed properly before the tribunal, which are very much challenging and huge tasks,” he added.
An interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is currently ruling the country. (IB