Hill Voice, 18 October 2021, Special Correspondent: UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo on Monday urged the Bangladesh government to ensure the protection of minorities and an impartial probe in the recent communal violence after ‘news’ broke on social media about the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue.

The UNRC tweeted to unite to strengthen inclusive tolerance in Bangladesh. “We call upon the Government to ensure the protection of minorities and an impartial probe,” tweeted Seppo.

Seppo said that the recent attacks on Hindus, “fuelled by hate speech” on social media, are against the values of the Constitution and need to be stopped.

Following the allegation of desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja mandap in Comilla on October 13, massive attacks on puja mandaps and vandalism of idols broke out in Comilla, Bandarban, Habiganj, Khulna, Chandpur, Cox’s Bazar, Laxmipur, Gazipur, Kurigram, Chittagong, Noakhali, Chapainawabganj, Brahmanbaria, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Rangpur etc. It is learnt that at least 6 people including 3 of Hindu community have been killed in the violence.