Earlier on last Friday, a Hindu youth namely Biplab Chandra Shuva of Borhan Uddin Upazila under Bhola district had made a derogatory comment in his facebook against Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuH). Protesting against ill-initiative, the Islam loving people of the Bhola district took to the street today. But at least four people were killed and a hundred others injured as police fired bullets against the peaceful protesters. Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former lawmaker Hamidur Rahman Azad has issued the following statement on 20 October 2019 protesting and condemning the incident.

“I am vehemently protesting and condemning the tragic incident as at least four people were killed and a hundred others injured as police fired bullets against a peaceful gathering in Bhola which took place protesting the derogatory comments of a vindictive Hindu young man against Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuH) using facebook app.   

We have been observing with great concern that since the incumbent authoritarian government came to the office, such hateful crimes are being committed repeatedly. Instead of punishing the haters, the government has been trying to protect them and simultaneously killing the peaceful Muslim protesters. Nobody expects such a heinous act from a government of a majority Muslim country. But, this type of hate crimes is being committed again and again as the authority is indulging the criminals.

Bangladesh is a land of communal harmony. The Muslims of this country are not used to insult Hindu or any other minorities by making such derogatory comment. But some vindictive people of a certain community try to hurt the religious sentiment of the Muslims repeatedly in order to foil the peaceful environment and communal harmony. I am urging the fellow countrymen to be aware of such provocative conspiracies. Besides, I am calling upon the concerned authorities to secure security of all the religious communities and to also take due steps that no vested quarter can damage or foil the religious harmony of the country.

To ensure religious harmony, it is obligatory to conduct a judicial investigation into this mayhem and also to arrest Biplab Chandra Shuvo of Bhola district and other people who were involved with this incident.

I am praying to Almighty Allah to accept all the deceased as martyrs who had been killed due to police’s bullet fire. In addition, I am calling upon the authority to pay due compensation to the victim’s family and to take proper steps for ensuring immediate treatment of the injured. I am extending deep sympathy to the families of the victims. May Allah help them to hold patience during this painful period of time.