KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10: A Bangladeshi expatriate here has dismissed claims in the social media that a Hindu family was burnt alive in their house in Noakhail, Chittagong during the recent riots in the country.
Responding to a query from Weekly Echo on the social media posting, Sumaiya Sharminthe, a businesswoman here, said that particular story of an entire family being attacked by a group of Muslims was totally fake.
She nevertheless added that all Bangladeshis, especially Muslims, were now safeguarding Hindu temples to prevent any attacks on them.
“Opponent parties who support Awami League are trying to mislead about the current situation in the country,” she also added.
Meanwhile, news of Muslims safeguarding Hindu temples and Hindu people in Bangladesh has gone viral, she said, citing the Facebook accounts of Tuhin Kanya Borah, Shaikh Mohammad Abdullah, Jafrin Kabir, Shahjahan Khan and Zubair bin Musa among others.
The ongoing riots involving mostly students began in Bangladesh on July 1st, amid claims of unequal jobs and education opportunities. This led to the resignation of its Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who then took refuge in India. The riots were then said to have taken on a religious turn with some venting their anger on Hindu temples, as reported by several regional media outlets.
On Thursday, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus returned to the country to helm the country’s interim government.
Hopes are he will help recover the country both socially and economically from the present crisis, which has brought many businesses to a halt.
–WE