Following the recent violence in Bangladesh which has adversely affected segments of the minority Hindu populace, thousands of members of the Muslim majority nation’s ruling party have rallied in support of the victims.
According to media reports, the wave of clashes has left at least six people dead, including two Hindus. Local media has reported that dozens of homes have been destroyed and 450 people have been arrested.
The attacks reportedly began on Friday as hundreds of Muslims protested in the southern Noakhali district over an alleged incident of Hindus insulting the Qur’an. Subsequently, several Hindu religious sites were vandalized and homes were attacked and torched.
On Tuesday however, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party held a rally in Dhaka, the capital with thousands marching along a four km (2.5 miles) route in the heart of the city, calling for an end to the violence.
Many pointed out how the death of two people from the minority community put the government on such a high communal alert in Bangladesh which is in stark opposition to India wherein countless deaths of Muslims have recurred in the last few years.
Shaik Hasina has been appreciated for taking cognizance of the issue and ordering swift action. Last week, the Prime Minister had cautioned India against its ongoing strain of Islamophobia as it would pose a problem to the Hindu minority community living in Bangladesh.