page_title: 2013 Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence
section_title: Chittagong Division
hierarchical_section_title: 2013 Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence / Attacks / Chittagong Division
caption_attribution_description: English: The photograph shows a Hindu temple in Banshkhali Upazila in Chittagong District, Bangladesh destroyed and burnt on 28 February 2013.
context_page_description: On 28 February 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, the vice-president of the Jamaat-e-Islami to death for war crimes committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Following the sentence, activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir attacked Hindus in different parts of the country. Hindu properties were looted, Hindu houses were burnt into ashes and Hindu temples were desecrated and set on fire. While the government has held the Jamaat-e-Islami responsible for the attacks on minorities, the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership has denied any involvement. Minority leaders have protested the attacks and appealed for justice. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has directed law enforcement to start suo motu investigation into the attacks. The US Ambassador to Bangladesh expressed concern about attacks by Jamaat on the Bengali Hindu community.
context_section_description: The Jihadi Groups who are responsible for these attacks are groups that are funded by Langley and includes the more notorious Hefazate Islam, Jamaati Islami and BNP. BNP and Jamaati Islami has been funding these extremist groups. This was portrayed in an article by a Pakistani Journalist in the International Herald Tribune.
  In Noakhali District several Hindu homes and temples came under the attack of the Islamists. On the morning of 28 February, the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir began to gather near Rajganj Bazar in Begumganj Upazila. At around 2 pm, immediately after the verdict, the activists armed with sticks, started a procession in protest against the verdict. The procession vandalised the Kali temple at Rajganj Bazar and the temple near Bainnabari. Then they attacked the Hindus in nearby Tongipar and Aladinagar villages. They vandalised eight Hindu households and looted all the valuables including money and jewellery. The temple of Bhuiyan house in Tongipar village was vandalised. Six people were injured in the attacks. The violence continued in phases till the evening. Around 6–30 p.m. Rapid Action Battalion was deployed to bring the situation under control. On 23 March, Islamic extremists vandalised and looted a temple at Companiganj Upazila On 26 March, miscreants set fire in a Hindu house at Zirtali union belonging to Begamganj Upazila.
  In Lakshmipur District, five Hindu-owned jewellery shops were looted and one Hindu temple attacked and looted in Chandraganj. After the midnight of 28 February, one Hindu temple has been on fire in Gaiyarchar in Raipur Upazila. The police prevented the rioters from setting fire to another temple. Two Hindu monasteries were set on fire. On 1 March, the miscreants set fire to a Hindu house in Char Sita area of Ramgati Upazila. On 11 May, Miscreants set fire on a Hindu Temple at Ramganj Upazila.
  On 28 February, in the afternoon Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists attacked the Hindus in Chittagong District. In Banshkhali Upazila, the attackers set fire to Hindus houses in Dakshin Jaldi area of Jaldi Union. 20 houses were gutted. 16 Hindus were injured in the arson, two of the died. A 65-year-old Hindu was killed in the attacks. On early morning of 5 March at around 2–30 a.m., the Sarbajaneen Magadeshwari Mandir at East Rupkania of Satkania Upazila was torched. At around 3:30 am the Khetrapal Temple was burned to ashes and money from donation box was looted.
  In Cox's Bazar, the Jamaat activists destroyed three Hindu temples. In Kutubdia Upazila, thousands of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists gathered before the Upazila Parishad office around 9 pm. Around 10 p.m. they set fire to Hindu temples, after vandalising government offices and an Awami League party office.
  In Comilla District, image of a Hindu deity was vandalised in Brahmanpara Upazila. On 1 March at around 11 pm, eleven shops including four owned by the Hindus were set on fire in Kheora Bazar in Kasba Upazila of Brahmanbaria District. On the early morning of 6 March, some time after 2:30 a.m., unidentified miscreants set fire to Sarbajanin Kali Mandir after vandalising five idols at Chapatali village under Mohammadpur East Union in Daudkandi Upazila of the district.
  In Rangamati District, Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh activists set fire in a temple at Bagahichari Upazila on 28 March.
caption: Destroyed Hindu temple in Banshkhali Upazila. Courtesy: Samaresh Baidya
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