Dhaka: Noakhali district Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Parishad and ISKCON temple authorities held a press conference in Noakhali in protest of the Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen's statement on the incidents of vandalism and looting of temples, puja mandals, shops, houses and deaths.
They also demanded the withdrawal of the foreign minister's statement at a press conference.
Pappu Saha, member secretary of the district committee of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Parishad, on Saturday read out a written statement at the press conference held at the premises of ISKCON temple.
In a written statement, he said, "They were shocked by the recent statement of the Foreign Minister on inhumane acts against religious minorities, especially the Hindu community, including the Chaumuhani in Noakhali, vandalism, arson, looting and killing.
"They are afraid that this statement of the minister will hide the murderers and miscreants. This statement of the minister is making the people of the affected areas more panic."
They said, the miscreants attacked, vandalised, looted and set fire to 11 temples, puja mandaps and several shops and houses in Chaumuhani of Begumganj in Noakhali from 2 pm to 4 pm on October 15.
The miscreants also beat Jatan Saha, a member of Vijaya Public Durga Mandir, to death and beat and hacked Iskan devotee Prant Chandra Das to death and dumped his body in a pond the next morning.
"We will request the Hon'ble Minister to come to Chaumuhani and see the horrors of the incident," they said.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen had issued a statement on the incident of communal attacks in Bangladesh.
He said no one had been raped during the recent communal violence in the country and that not a single temple had been set on fire or destroyed.
"Only six people have died so far in the religious violence. Four of the dead were Muslims, and they were shot dead by police as they tried to set fire to Hindu homes. Two Hindus died, one of them died a simple death. Another drowned," he said.
Noakhali district Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Parishad and ISKCON temple authorities have called for the immediate withdrawal of the Foreign Minister's statement.
Among others, ISKCON principal Raspriya Das Adhikari, Lucky Saha, wife of Jatan Saha who was killed in the attack, Uttam Das, general secretary of Youth Unity Parishad, Tapas Saha, president of Vijaya Durga Mandir and others also spoke at the press conference.
Incidents in Comilla led to attacks, vandalism and looting of Hindu temples, puja mandaps, shops and houses in various upazilas including Hatia and Begumganj in Noakhali on October 13-15.
Two ISKON devotees were killed in the violence. A total of 29 cases have been registered in different police stations so far. So far, 212 people have been arrested in the cases.
