Cumilla
PM for formation of two new divisions as Padma, Meghna
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said she wants to upgrade Faridpur and Cumilla as two new divisions after the names of two major rivers – Padma and Meghna.
“I’ve decided to form two new divisions after two rivers- one would be named after Padma and another after Meghna,” she said.
Read:WTO rules to help Bangladesh more after graduation: Hasina
The Prime Minister revealed it while opening the newly-constructed office Bhaban for Awami League’s Cumilla City unit virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
She said if the division is formed after the name of Cumilla other districts might not be interested to join it.
Read: Hasina unveils state-of-the-art exhibition centre in Purbachal
The PM said she will form Faridpur Division after the name of Padma, another famous river of the country.
LGRD Minister Tazul Islam, AL organising secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon and local Awami League MP AKM Bahauddin and other local AL leaders joined the virtual the function from the new office building.
Prime suspect of Cumilla incident identified: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Tuesday said police have identified the prime suspect of the Cumilla puja mandap incident.
“I hope the prime suspect in Cumilla incident will be arrested soon …he’s changing his location frequently. We’ll be able to unfold the Cumilla incident once he’s arrested,” he said.
The minister revealed the information while speaking at a programme on ‘Technological Modernization of Rab’ held at the Rab headquarters.
Those who are trying to unleash communal violence and provoke people will be arrested soon, he said.
“We’ve seen some unpleasant incidents at puja mandaps this year and some people attempted to vandalize a temple in Chandpur centering the Cumilla incident. Police had to face trouble in bringing the situation under control. Four people died and another succumbed to injuries at a hospital on Tuesday morning,” said Asaduzzaman.
Read:Cumilla incident: DIG says offenders to be hunted down
Besides, attempts were made to destabilize the situation in Ramu, Nasirnagar and Bhola spreading rumours through social networking site Facebook, he said.
“A vested quarter is involved in spreading propaganda in the country through uploading video footage of many brutal incidents that took place in the country in different times in the past in the social networking sites. These are condemnable and unfortunate,” he added.
Read:Cumilla incident: BGB troops deployed in 22 districts
Issuing a warning, the minister said those who are trying to get benefitted by spreading such rumours will be hunted down and punished.
Asaduzzaman urged people to control excitement after watching such incidents on Facebook and refrain from doing anything out of provocation. These are harmful and the Rangpur incident is an example, he added.
Keep watch against further efforts to malign state institutions, country's image: Govt
The government has urged all concerned to uphold the spirit of tolerance, inclusivity, peace and pluralism and stand guard against further efforts to malign the state institutions and tarnish the image of the country. "The government remains committed to preventing the recurrence of such untoward incidents and would expect that further complication or misunderstanding would be averted through responsible and fact-based reporting through all media platforms," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday. The government remains "concerned" that certain vested quarters are carrying out such pre-meditated attacks to gain some dubious political mileage. "It’s regrettable that the local elements that had opposed Bangladesh’s independence 50 year ago are still propagating their toxic narratives to instigate violence, hatred and bigotry," MoFA said.
Read:PM orders stern action against those involved in communal attacks They are trying to undermine Bangladesh’s secular, non-communal and pluralistic credentials in the international context by deliberately targeting one of the biggest religious festivals of the country, it mentioned. The government appreciated the Hindu community for concluding the festivities in a befitting spirit and also welcomed the overwhelming show of solidarity by people in general. When the people of Bangladesh were celebrating the Durga Puja in a joyous mood, there emerged reports of attacks on Hindu religious sites and idols in different parts of the country. The government "unequivocally condemned" those incidents and took "serious note of the reactions" from within and outside the Hindu community. As an immediate measure, MoFA said, the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) forces were deployed in 22 districts of the country in aid of the civilian administration.
Another youth arrested in Cumilla over Puja incident
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested one person on Thursday evening from Cumilla city on charges of destroying communal harmony by hurting religious sentiments by spreading propaganda on social media about the Puja Mandap incident in Cumilla.
The arrestee was identified as Golam Mawla.
Read: Hasina calls for hunting down culprits of Cumilla incident
Based on secret information, a special team of Rab-11 battalion conducted a drive at Newmarket area of Cumilla town in the evening and arrested Gulam Mawla, said ASP (Media) of Rab headquarters Imran Khan.
No more details were available immediately, but clearly the elite crime-fighting force had some specific leads that it regarded as credible to complete Mowla's arrest through the drive by its special team.
Also read: Cumilla incident: DIG says offenders to be hunted down
He thus became the 42nd person arrested since yesterday by law-enforcers in Cumilla under four different cases filed with the Kotwali police station.
Cumilla violence perpetrators will be identified and punished: Info Minister
The government is determined to identify and provide exemplary punishment to those involved in Cumilla incident, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Thursday.
“We are determined to give exemplary punishment to all those who were involved in the Cumilla incident,” said the minister while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.
The minister said police and different agencies are investigating who carried out the incident. “I'm sure the culprits will be identified very soon.”
Read:Cumilla incident: DIG says offenders to be hunted down
Hasan further said that there was a political motive behind the incident in Cumilla. “Failing to deal with Prime minister Sheikh Hasina politically, a circle is always engaged in spreading rumours using social media to destroy the peace and harmony of the country.”
He said, “The motive was clear. When the priest there told them to remove it, they tried to create communal tension, they called police and spread communal incitement across the country through social media.”
The minister said the communal harmony established in Bangladesh under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is an example for many countries. This country was liberated at the cost of blood of the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians under the leadership of Bangabandhu to create a non-communal country.
“But a group of people who opposed the liberation of this country, who are still conspiring against the development and progress of the country, do not want communal harmony in Bangladesh. That is why various rumours have been spread at different times to destroy communal harmony by distorting minor incidents and misrepresenting them through social media,” said Hasan.
Read:Cumilla incident: BGB troops deployed in 22 districts
An analysis of such incidents in the last few years shows that there were ill motives behind them, the minister added.
Recently, Awami League has reportedly nominated some people involved in the communal attack in Nasirnagar for the Union Parishad elections. When asked about this matter, the information minister said, “Being an accused in an incident does not reflect the fact.”
He said, "I would like to request all the people of the Hindu community in this regard to celebrate the festival smoothly as the situation is under control. The government and the people are by your side. We are determined to stop the perpetrators.”
Govt plot behind communal incidents, alleges BNP
BNP on Thursday blamed government agencies for the communal incidents in Cumilla and elsewhere in the country, saying these are part of a plot to mislead people.
Speaking at a discussion, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded prompt action against the perpetrators.
"The government has completely failed to maintain law and order and stability in the country…some untoward incidents happened centring the Durga Puja of Hindu brothers in Cumilla and Chandpur. Three people were killed in Chandpur as police opened fire indiscriminately,” he said.
Also read: None of those involved in Cumilla incident to be spared: Obaidul Quader
The BNP leader said these incidents are an outcome of the government’s ‘plot’ to destroy communal harmony and stability in the country. “We strongly condemn and protest these incidents.”
About the desecration of the holy Quran in Cumilla, Fakhrul said the main intention behind this is to destabilise the country. "You’ve heard that the holy Quran was kept in the puja mandapa. Who did it? Those who’ve done it have a motive to ruin the communal harmony.”
He also alleged that law enforcers opened fire on people in different places over the incident also for the same reason.
“It’s a country of communal harmony. We’ve been living here very peacefully for thousands of years… These incidents have been carried out completely by the government agencies to create unrest in the country and to divert people’s attention to a different direction from the real crisis.”
Jatiyatabadi Samabay Dal arranged the discussion programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, marking its 11th founding anniversary.
Also read: Several identified, suspected instigators held over Cumilla incident: Home Minister
He said there are many problems in the country, including the lack of democracy, freedom of expression and other rights, while a ‘terrible fascist’ regime has been in power like a ‘monster’.
“When we’re talking about the problems and working on it, they (govt) want to divert the attention of people to another direction by carrying out these (communal) incidents,” he observed.
Accusing the government of destroying the country’s election system, the BNP leader said elections in Bangladesh have now become a ‘laughing stock’ and people have forgotten about good elections. “The last election was held in 2001 and there has been no other election since then. What happened in 2008 was under an illegitimate government.”
He said there is no scope to hold a credible and neutral election in Bangladesh unless it is held under a non-party polls-time government.
Fakhrul said it will not be acceptable to people if the government constitutes the next election commission through a search committee.
“Our position is clear that we won’t allow any more games in the name of election. The government must step down, handing over power to a neutral administration for holding a meaningful election,” he said.
The BNP secretary general also called upon the people of all walks of life to unite to bring a change in the current situation of the country.
Hasina calls for hunting down culprits of Cumilla incident
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said those who are behind the Cumilla incident will be hunted down to give them proper punishment to stop the recurrence of such communal acts.
“A thorough investigation is on. We’re getting huge information. We’ll definitely trace those who carry out such incidents and we’ll do so…this is the age of technology,” she said, mentioning Wednesday’s Cumilla incident.
The Prime Minister made the remarks while exchanging greetings with Hindu devotees at the Dhakeshwari National Temple virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban on the occasion of Durga Puja.
Sheikh Hasina said proper action will surely be taken against the culprits, no matter what religion they belong to.
“They must be found out. We did so in the past and will do it in the future, too. They must face the due punishment. We want such punishment so that none dare to do so (engage in communal incident) in future,” she said.
President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad Milon Kanti Datta and Principal of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka Swami Purnatmananda Maharaj spoke at the function chaired by President of Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee Shailendra Nath Majumder.
General Secretary of the parishad Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee conducted it, while general secretary of the committee Advocate Kishore Ranjan Mandal delivered the welcome speech.
Mentioning that religions are of individuals but festivals for all, the Prime Minister said some evil cliques are there who sometimes want to destroy the spirit of people by carrying out some unwanted incidents, and this is very unfortunate, she added.
Also read: Cumilla incident: DIG says offenders to be hunted down
“There’re some people of evil-intellect who want to destroy a thing when it goes well. When Bangladesh is moving fast on its development journey, they want to disrupt this journey and also create a problem inside the country,” she said.
“It (communal incident) is the act of those who can’t win the public trust and confidence and who have no politics and no ideology. This one kind of their weakness,” she said, urging all to be alert over such incidents.
“We’re definitely taking proper action in this regard,” she said.
“Desecration of holy Quran” in Cumilla, govt urges calm
State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan has urged the people of the country to exercise restraint and not to take law into their own hands over the reported desecration of the holy Quran in Cumilla.
“Don’t take law into your own hands. Everyone should maintain religious harmony and peace,” he said in an emergency announcement on Wednesday evening.
Read: No evidence of disrespecting Quran found: Probe body
Driver killed by miscreants in Cumilla
A private car driver was killed by miscreants throttling his throat in Daudkandi area of Cumilla.
The deceased was identified as Faizul Islam Sardar (40), son of Aktar Sardar hailing from Uzirpur thana of Barishal.
Police confirmed the matter on Sunday afternoon.
Locals informed the police after spotting an unidentified body of a man on a culvert (local bridge) on Sunday morning, according to police and family sources.
Read: Man killed by nephew in Pirojpur
Sub-inspector (SI) of Daudkandi Model Thana, Ziaur Rahman recovered the body. A family member of the victim identified the body. Faizul drove his car on rent. He was taking passengers from Dhaka’s Gulshan to Chattogram, sources said.
Miscreants snatched the car after murdering Faizul, predicted SI Mohammad Ziaur Rahman.
Besides, many injury marks were spotted on his body, he added.
A case has been filed with Daudkandi Model Thana in this regard and they are trying to recover the car and find the criminals, Ziaur Rahman said.
Two die as van hits three-wheeler in Cumilla
Two persons were killed when a speeding van crashed into a three-wheeler on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway near Suagazi in Cumilla Sadar South upazila early on Wednesday morning.
The deceased were identified as three-wheeler driver Jamil Mia, 32, son of Hanif Mia of Vatpara village of the upazila, and pedestrian Fazal Mia, 30, son of Lal Mia of Dhonpur village of the same upazila.
Read: 3 killed in Habiganj road crash
Police said the Chattogram-bound van crashed into the three-wheeler after its driver lost control of the vehicle on the high-speed corridor near Suagazi in the morning, leaving both the victims dead on the spot.
Md Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Mainamati Highway Police, said they had seized the vehicle though its driver fled. "The bodies have been brought to the police station," the OC said.