Persons with vested interests may instigate further attacks on temples and houses of Hindus in the country, in order to tarnish the image of the government, according to an intelligence agency. "More attacks on Hindus, like that of Nasirnagar in Brahmanbaria, may take place in different parts of the country,” an officer in the agency said. They have subsequently alerted the government to take immediate steps in this regard, he added.
Sources in an intelligence agency said incidents like the one at Nasirnagar could spread to different parts of the country, and that is why they have alerted the government to take steps in this respect. The intelligence agency has also advised the authorities to put all field officials on alert, the sources further said. “We have asked the ruling party to alert their local leaders and activists against mischief-makers,” the sources said. The government has asked field administrations, particularly all superintendents of police (SPs), to be on high alert and take measures to avoid possible incidents at temples and houses of members of the Hindu community. At the same time, law enforcement agencies have been told by the government to arrest those involved in attacks on temples and houses of Hindus in some areas—Nasirnagar in Brahmanbaria and Netrokona in particular—by conducting raids, sources in the home ministry and the intelligence agency said. Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told The Independent that they have asked field officers in the police administration, especially SPs, to be on high alert and take steps to preclude any untoward incident, like the recent Nasirnagar attacks. “We’ve asked law enforcement agencies to conduct block raids to arrest the culprits involved in the attacks on places of worship and houses of the Hindu people,” he said. The minister further said they are trying to find out whether there is any conspiracy behind the attacks at Nasirnagar. Last Sunday, several hundred people vandalised a number of Hindu temples and ransacked nearly a hundred houses, leaving at least 20 people, including several Hindu priests, injured. The incident took place following an alleged derogatory post on Facebook by a Hindu youth. The miscreants also burnt five houses of Hindus in the same area on Friday.