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Lack of justice spurs attack on Bangladeshi minorities

Authorities remain indifferent to violence against Christians, church leader says
Lack of justice spurs attack on Bangladeshi minorities

Christians in Dhaka protest against attack and death threats on Christian priests and pastors in this Nov. 21, 2015 file photo. Christian leaders blame lack of protection, slow probe and lack of justice behind recurring attacks on minorities. (ucanews.com photo)

Published: May 04, 2016 09:56 AM GMT
Updated: May 04, 2016 10:00 AM GMT

Lack of security, indifferent police work and a lack of justice are behind the ongoing violence against religious minorities, including Christians, in Bangladesh, Christian leaders say.

The leaders expressed their concerns in reaction to a bomb attack on a Catholic family on May 3, which left two people seriously wounded in Chuadanga district in southern Bangladesh. 

Unidentified assailants attacked the home of Alam Mondol, 45, a cattle businessman at Baghadanga village, and hurled several homemade bombs as villagers came to the rescue of the victims. 

Alam and his elderly father sustained injuries to their hands and legs, and are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Chuadanga town.

The attack comes weeks after a professor and two gay activists were hacked to death allegedly by Islamic militants.

Police say the bomb attack was an attempted robbery, and not linked to militancy.

"The attackers came for money. But they failed in their bid as people gathered after hearing screaming, but they snatched away a mobile phone," Liaqat Hossain, officer in-charge of the Damurhuda police station told ucanews.com.

Alam's family filed a case on May 3, but no one has been arrested yet, Hossain said.

However, Father Arun A. Halsona, parish priest of Sacred Heart Church, which covers the village, refused to accept the "robbery motive."

"Alam is a small businessman and his family is not wealthy, so it's hard to believe robbery was the case. Moreover, robbers come with guns and sharp weapons, and they don't use bombs," Father Halsona told ucanews.com.

 

Ongoing violence

The priest alleged that the latest attack is continuation of ongoing violence against minorities in the country by Islamic militants. 

The church is in the jurisdiction of the Khulna Diocese, where churches and convents came under attack this year. 

On Feb. 7, about 15 armed men attacked and looted money and valuables from the same church and assaulted nuns from an adjacent convent. Three years ago, police foiled a bid from attackers to break into the church. 

On Feb. 10, a Catholic hospital in Gazipur district in the Dhaka Archdiocese narrowly survived another attack as local Catholics chased away more than a dozen attackers. 

In March, a Catholic church in Meherpur district of Khulna was attacked and looted. 

The recurring attacks represents a failure of the government to protect minorities, says Father James Mondol, convener of the Khulna Diocese's Justice and Peace Commission.

"The role of the administration and police is questionable. They don't seem to be serious about ongoing violence against minorities and this lack of interest encourages the attackers," Father Mondol told ucanews.com.

In the absence of government protection, the diocese has been taking its own measures for safety of churches and the faithful. 

"We are a small minority and we can't put pressure on the government for justice. We have taken for granted that justice won't be delivered, so we are trying to secure ourselves with security arrangements and awareness building among people," Father Mondol says. 

These "premeditated and coordinated" attacks are results of the government's failure to protect minorities and deliver justice, says Nirmol Rozario, secretary of Bangladesh Christian Association.

"Minorities suffer from negligence from local administration and police as they are small in number, vulnerable and don't have strong political and financial strengths. So, their call for protection and justice largely fall on deaf ears," he says.

In 2001, militants bombed a Catholic Church in Gopalganj district, leaving 10 Catholics dead, but police have yet to press charges against the attackers even after 15 years, Rozario points out.

Muslim-majority Bangladesh has seen a sharp rise in Islamic militancy in recent times. Since 2013, Islamic militants have murdered atheist bloggers, foreigners and religious minorities including Hindus, Christians and Shias.

A total of 11 people from minority groups, including a Christian, were killed and 366 injured this year in political and Islamist violence, according to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, a minority forum.

About 90 percent of Bangladesh's 160 million people are Muslims, 9 percent are Hindus and the rest belongs to other religions including Buddhism and Christianity.

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