- The boy was arrested under the Cybersecurity Act and sent to a juvenile rehabilitation centre.
- Army and police were deployed to control violent mobs in Aldadpur village, Rangpur district.
- Victims sold belongings and took shelter with relatives amid ongoing fear and uncertainty.
In an alarming incident, a 17-year-old boy's Facebook post on Prophet Muhammad has caused waves of violent mob attacks in Bangladesh's Rangpur district. 15 Hindu homes were attacked in a span of two days – Saturday and Sunday, after which families left their homes, sold off livestock and belongings in distress.
The ransacking took place after the boy's arrest over blasphemy. Moreover, army and police were deployed to disperse the rampaging crowd. This incident has sparked anxiety among the Hindu community after their homes were burnt and as they have to take shelter with relatives and are still unsure about when they can even return home.
The attacks took place in Aldadpur village after the boy – a third-semester student at a polytechnic institute – posted derogatory content about Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.
Despite the widespread violence and protests, there had been no FIR or arrests made. According to The Daily Star, the boy was arrested around 8:30 pm on Saturday evening after police received complaints about the post.
"A case was filed under the Cybersecurity Act, and the boy was later sent to a juvenile rehabilitation centre following a court order," a police officer, Al Emran, told Dhaka-based newspaper, Prothom Alo.
After his arrest, the violence started, following which the police and army were deployed.
"Fifteen houses were damaged or looted. We are preparing a list and working on financial and other forms of support," an official, Mahmud Hasan Mridha, said after visiting the village.
"We didn't sleep all night," Kamalakanta Roy, a villager, told Prothom Alo. "We had 10–12 mon (400–480 kg) of paddy, and we're selling it now."
Apart from the destruction, valuables were looted. Locals said gold jewellery, legal documents had been looted.
This violence falls under a pattern of persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, since PM Sheikh Hasina's government was ousted. Although the interim government has taken steps to curb such attacks on minorities, Muhammad Yunus, had earlier called these reports "exaggerated propaganda".
Per India's Ministry of External Affairs, after Hasina was ousted in August 2024, Bangladesh witnessed a sharp escalation of violence against Hindus. There had been 200 cases of attacks across 52 districts within the first week. By October 22, the interim government had officially acknowledged 88 cases of communal violence against Hindus.
National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam condemned the attacks and said that no one should be spared for insulting the Prophet, but "justice must follow the law."
"Three families, including that of the detained boy and his uncle, are staying at their relatives' homes at a neighbouring village," the chief adviser's office said.
"The repair works of the Hindu households will start from Tuesday under the supervision of the district and concerned sub-district administrations," it said in a statement.
