1989 Bangladesh riots explained

The 1989 Bangladesh riots were a series of attacks against the Bengali Hindus in October - November, apparently as a reaction to the laying of the foundation of Ram temple adjacent to Demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in India. In the pogroms, thousands of Hindu homes and businesses were destroyed.[1] More than 400 Hindu temples were destroyed.[1]

On 30 October 1989, Hindu shops were looted and set on fire in Chittagong, in spite of a curfew. Hindu men and women were attacked and molested.[2] On 10 November, a Muslim mob shouting anti-Hindu slogans took out a procession in Khulna. Hindu temples were attacked and destroyed by the mob.[2] On 11 November, a Muslim mob attacked Hindu shops and temples in Narsingdi. More than 25 Hindu-owned shops were set on fire and images in three temples were smashed.[3] The mob was led by Maulana Tajul Islam, who carried firearms and raised anti-Hindu slogans.[2] On 17 November, the Hindu students of Brojomohun College in Barisal were attacked, beaten up and thrown out of the hostel.[2] In Comilla, brick-bats were thrown on Hindu devotees during the Ram Thakur festival. Some of the devotees were seriously injured.[2] On 18 November 1989, about 500 Muslims hurled stones at Hindu-owned shops in Khulna, injuring at least 50 people.[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Ghosh Dastidar, Sachi . Empire's Last Casualty: Indian Subcontinent's vanishing Hindu and other Minorities . 2008 . Firma KLM . Kolkata . 978-81-7102-151-2 . 201.
  2. Book: Kamra, A.J. . The Prolonged Partition and its Pogroms: Testimonies on Violence Against Hindus in East Bengal 1946-64 . 2000 . Voice of India . New Delhi . 81-85990-63-8 . 215.
  3. News: 11 November 1989 . Pakistan Protests Indian Temple, Moslems Riot in Bangladesh . https://web.archive.org/web/20181106171820/https://apnews.com/cc650e146f7cc59d755089e6d934648b . 6 November 2018 . 12 November 2012 . Associated Press.
  4. News: 18 November 1989 . 50 Reported Injured During Riots Over Indian Temple . https://web.archive.org/web/20200830121106/https://apnews.com/9914e0d706d2906024c5d6f8c904ac55 . 30 August 2020 . 12 November 2012 . Associated Press.