The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council reported on Thursday that a total of 2,010 incidents of sectarian attacks occurred between August 4 and August 20 across the country, resulting in the deaths of nine people.
The report, compiled through the organisation鈥檚 district committees and verified by its six-member central monitoring cell, was unveiled at a press briefing at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Two people were killed in both Sylhet and Khulna divisions each, while one person was killed in each of Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Mymensingh divisions and no deaths were reported in Barishal division.
Presenting details of the sectarian violence, Nirmal Rozario, one of the organisation鈥檚 former presidents, reported that at least 1,705 families, including 34 ethnic minority families, were directly affected and are now living in dire conditions following the incidents.
Among the affected families, 157 had their homes attacked, looted, vandalised, and set on fire.
Khulna division saw the most violence, where four women, including a woman with speech impediment, were raped.聽
A total of 69 places of worship belonging to Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and ethnic groups were attacked, vandalised, looted, and set ablaze, while 915 houses and 953 businesses were attacked, looted, and set on fire, and 21 plots of land or business organisations were occupied, he added.
In response to a question, Ranjan Karmakar, a member of the organisation, claimed that all the attacks were sectarian in nature and none were politically motivated.
The unity council called for an independent and impartial investigation of sectarian violence under the supervision of the United Nations.
It called on the interim government to end the ongoing sectarian violence, arrest and punish the perpetrators, and withdraw the 鈥榝alse鈥� cases against the unity council鈥檚 general secretary, Rana Dasgupta, and other leaders.
To press their demands, a nationwide protest and rally was announced for tomorrow at 4:00pm across the country, including Dhaka.
