Hindu Homes Torched in Bangladesh

Amid tensions over last week's attacks on Hindu homes and temples, unidentified people on Friday torched several more homes in Brahmanbaria district in Bangladesh.

At around 4 am, miscreants set fire to six dwellings in Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria, including a cowshed, three kitchen rooms and two houses.

No one was injured in the incidents.

The destroyed homes were in the villages of Jaynagar Pashchimpara, Banikpara and Hashpatalpara. The homestead owners said the fires had been started in cowsheds and kitchens.

Deputy Commissioner of Brahmanbaria Rezaul Rehman and the local leaders of Awami League visited the spot.

The incident comes four days after a mob of around 3,000 local Muslims armed with weapons carried out an attack on nearly 100 Hindu houses and at least 10 temples, vandalising and looting valuables.

It was reportedly in response to a Facebook post that satirised the Masjid al-Haram- a holy site for Muslims. The ruling Awami League (AL) suspended three local leaders of Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria for their alleged involvement in the October 30 communal attack on the local Hindu minorities.