Dhaka:
Hundreds of members of a hardline Islamist group attacked Hindu temples and a train in eastern Bangladesh on Sunday, the police and a nearby journalist mentioned, as violence spread across the nation in the wake of a take a look at by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Local police and medical doctors have mentioned at least 11 protesters have been killed considering that Friday in clashes with police in the course of demonstrations organised by Islamist groups against PM Modi’s take a look at. Violence has raged on considering that PM Modi’s departure as anger has swelled more than the deaths.
PM Modi arrived in Dhaka on Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s nationhood, and he left on Saturday immediately after gifting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina some 12 lakh COVID-19 vaccine shots.
The protesters accuse PM Modi of discriminatory policies against Muslims in India.
On Friday, dozens of people today have been injured in the densely-populated capital Dhaka as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.
Thousands of protesters marched down streets across Bangladesh on Sunday.
Supporters with the Hefazat-e-Islam group attacked a train in the eastern district of Brahmanbaria, resulting in 10 people today becoming injured, a police official mentioned.
“They attacked the train and damaged its engine room and almost all the coaches,” the official told Reuters, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Several government offices, which includes the land workplace and a government-sponsored music academy, have been set on fire and various Hindu temples have been also attacked, mentioned Javed Rahim, a journalist in Brahmanbaria town.
“We are in extreme fear and feeling really helpless,” Rahim told Reuters by phone, adding: “Even the press club was attacked, leaving many injured, including the press club president.”
One protester, who sustained an injury in the course of Saturday’s clash in Brahmanbaria, died on Sunday, a physician mentioned.
Islamist demonstrators also set alight two buses in the western district of Rajshahi on Sunday, whilst hundreds of protesters clashed with police in various areas, pelting them with stones, 3 police sources in 3 districts mentioned.
Protesters utilized electric poles, timber and sand bags to block roads and police retaliated with rubber bullets and tear gas, leaving dozens injured in Narayanganj, just outdoors the capital, Dhaka, one police official mentioned.
Protesters also vandalised and burned various buses in Dhaka as they blocked quite a few roads, a police official mentioned.
The protests have flared into wider demonstrations against police killings, and the Hefazat-e-Islam enforced a nationwide strike on Sunday.
“Police opened fire on our peaceful supporters,” Hefazat-e-Islam’s organising secretary Azizul Haque told a rally. “We will not let the blood of our brothers go in vain.”