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https://www.opindia.com/2024/12/bangladesh-17-houses-of-tripura-christian-community-burnt-down/
There is no end to the attack on religious minorities in Bangladesh which started after the Muhammad Yunus-led interim govt took charge following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. In such a distressing incident coinciding with Christmas celebrations, 17 houses belonging to the Tripura Christian community were set ablaze in Bandarban’s Lama Upazila.
Notably, Tripura Christian refers to people belonging to the Tripura community who follow Christianity.
As per reports, the attack occurred in the early hours of December 25, while residents were away attending prayers in a neighbouring village, as there is no church in their village. There was nobody in the village when the attack took place.
The affected village, New Betachhara Para in the Tongjhiri area is located in Ward No. 8 of Sarai Union of Lama Upazila. The villages had gone to nearby Tonggyajhiri village on Wednesday night to participate in Christmas celebrations. The miscreants took advantage of their absence to torch the homes, resulting in the complete destruction of 17 out of 19 houses in the village.
Gungamani Tripura, one of the victims, expressed his devastation, “Our houses have been completely burned to ashes. Could not save anything.”
Notably, the victim families belonging to the Tripura community have been residing in the Tongjhiri Tripura Para area for several generations. But they were forcibly removed from their homes a few years ago when some people claimed that the area had been leased out to the wife of a police officer and planted trees there. However, after the fall of the Awami League government, they came back to the village and started living in makeshift houses.
At around 12:30 am on Wednesday, the villagers attending Christmas payers in the neighbouring village saw a fire blazing in their village and rushed to their village. But by the time they reached, 17 of the 19 houses were completely gutted. All houses in the village were made of bamboo and straw, therefore the houses burnt quickly.
Notably, the villagers have been accused of land grabbing by people who had earlier removed them they resettled in the village. Md Enamul Haque Bhuiyan, inspector (investigation) of Lama Police Station, said there are complaints and counter-complaints of land grabbing in the remote area after August 5, when the Sheikh Hasina govt fell.
The police officer said that no formal complaints had been filed regarding the incident, and action would be taken upon receiving a complaint.
The villagers said that they had been receiving threats for some time, and that is why they left nobody in the village when they went to the church.
The local administration has provided rice, lentils, oil, and blankets to the affected families as relief materials.
This incident is part of a troubling pattern of violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in August 2024. Since the government’s collapse, there have been a large number of attacks on minority communities across the country.
There is no end to the attack on religious minorities in Bangladesh which started after the Muhammad Yunus-led interim govt took charge following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. In such a distressing incident coinciding with Christmas celebrations, 17 houses belonging to the Tripura Christian community were set ablaze in Bandarban’s Lama Upazila.
Notably, Tripura Christian refers to people belonging to the Tripura community who follow Christianity.
As per reports, the attack occurred in the early hours of December 25, while residents were away attending prayers in a neighbouring village, as there is no church in their village. There was nobody in the village when the attack took place.
The affected village, New Betachhara Para in the Tongjhiri area is located in Ward No. 8 of Sarai Union of Lama Upazila. The villages had gone to nearby Tonggyajhiri village on Wednesday night to participate in Christmas celebrations. The miscreants took advantage of their absence to torch the homes, resulting in the complete destruction of 17 out of 19 houses in the village.
Gungamani Tripura, one of the victims, expressed his devastation, “Our houses have been completely burned to ashes. Could not save anything.”
Notably, the victim families belonging to the Tripura community have been residing in the Tongjhiri Tripura Para area for several generations. But they were forcibly removed from their homes a few years ago when some people claimed that the area had been leased out to the wife of a police officer and planted trees there. However, after the fall of the Awami League government, they came back to the village and started living in makeshift houses.
At around 12:30 am on Wednesday, the villagers attending Christmas payers in the neighbouring village saw a fire blazing in their village and rushed to their village. But by the time they reached, 17 of the 19 houses were completely gutted. All houses in the village were made of bamboo and straw, therefore the houses burnt quickly.
Notably, the villagers have been accused of land grabbing by people who had earlier removed them they resettled in the village. Md Enamul Haque Bhuiyan, inspector (investigation) of Lama Police Station, said there are complaints and counter-complaints of land grabbing in the remote area after August 5, when the Sheikh Hasina govt fell.
The police officer said that no formal complaints had been filed regarding the incident, and action would be taken upon receiving a complaint.
The villagers said that they had been receiving threats for some time, and that is why they left nobody in the village when they went to the church.
The local administration has provided rice, lentils, oil, and blankets to the affected families as relief materials.
This incident is part of a troubling pattern of violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in August 2024. Since the government’s collapse, there have been a large number of attacks on minority communities across the country.