2016 Nasirnagar Violence

The 2016 Nasirnagar violence was an attack on Hindus by Islamist groups in Nasirnagar, Bangladesh. It started because a Hindu fisherman was blamed for a Facebook post against Islam on October 30, 2016. In the attack, 19 temples and about 300 houses were damaged, and over 100 people were hurt.

 Beginning of the incident 
In Haripur village, Rasraj Das was accused of posting a picture on Facebook. The picture mixed a photo of the Kaaba with a picture of Shiva. On October 29, a group of Muslims hit Rasraj Das and gave him to the police. He was charged with blasphemy and sent to jail under section 57(2) of the ICT act. Later, Rasraj said he did not know how to use Facebook, and someone had hacked his account. The post was also missing.

 Attack 
In 2016, a group called "Pure Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat" held a protest at Nasirnagar Government College, claiming that their religion was insulted. After this rally, about 3,000 Muslims attacked Hindu areas. They destroyed about 300 houses, temples like the Gaur Temple, idols, furniture, and donation boxes. They stole TVs, valuable items, and money. More than 50 people were hurt. Rasraj’s house was damaged. Priests, including Shankar Sen and Narendra Prabhu, were attacked. Temples such as Jagannath Temple, Kali Bari Temple, Shiva Temple, Durga Temple, and many others were vandalized.

A second attack on Hindus happened on November 4. Some people blamed Mohammad Sayedul Haque, a local leader and government minister, for making bad remarks. Awami League leaders were also blamed. Dewan Atiqur Rahman Akhi, a leader from Haripur, was called the mastermind. Other leaders involved were Md. Akhtar Mia and Abul Hashem.

 What happened after 
Eight cases were filed about the attacks. One was handled by the Detective Branch, and six by local police. Over 2,000 suspects were identified, and 126 were arrested. A forensic report found no bad image on Rasraj’s phone. He got temporary bail on January 16, 2017, but the case against him remains. The police have not finished their report.

On January 5, 2017, Dewan Atiqur Rahman Akhi was arrested. He got bail on November 6, 2017.

 Reactions 
The Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian Unity Council condemned the violence. Their leader, Rana Dasgupta, said this attack showed that the government’s promise to stop such violence was weak. He demanded action.

The Awami League faced criticism because their member, Akhi, was involved. The government suspended him from his post on January 23, 2017, but he later got his position back. In 2021, despite his involvement, Akhi, Md. Akhtar Mia, and Abul Hashem were chosen as candidates for local elections by the Awami League. However, after much criticism, Akhi and Hashem lost their nominations on October 13, 2021.

References

Category:Anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh
Category:Religious riots in Bangladesh
Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 2016
Category:Attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh
Category:2016 crimes