TDS Desk:

A total of 2,010 incidents of communal violence took place in 68 out of 76 districts and metropolitan areas across the country between 4 and 20 August, resulting in the deaths of nine people.

This information was revealed at a press conference by Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad at Nasrul Hamid Auditorium at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Thursday.

Presenting details of the communal violence, one of the organisation’s vice-presidents, Nirmal Rozario, said 1,705 families were directly affected in the violence.

Among them, 157 families had their homes attacked, looted, vandalised, and set on fire. Some of their businesses were also looted, vandalised, and torched, he said.

These families are now living in dire conditions, Nirmal said.

He further stated that Khulna division saw the most violence, where four women were raped.

Out of the 1,705 affected families, 34 belonged to indigenous communities and lands of some of the families were forcibly occupied, the organisation’s leader said.

Additionally, 69 places of worship were attacked, vandalised, looted, and set ablaze during the communal violence.

Nirmal called for an independent and impartial investigation of communal violence under the supervision of the United Nations.