Government, citizens, officials, judges, and now the army - no one is safe in Bangladesh. The ongoing violence has spiraled out of control. Amidst this chaos, reports have surfaced of an attack on army personnel. The incident occurred in the Gopalganj area. According to the Dhaka Tribune, 15 people including soldiers, journalists, and locals were injured, with two sustaining gunshot wounds. The incident took place around 4 PM on Saturday while thousands of Awami League activists were on the streets demanding Sheikh Hasina's return.
Attack on Troops as They Tried to Disperse the Protest
According to reports, thousands of Awami League leaders, activists, and locals demanded the return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and blocked the Dhaka-Khulna Highway. When the army vehicle arrived and requested the protesters to clear the road and end the demonstration, the crowd began hurling bricks. The troops resorted to baton charges to disperse the crowd.
In retaliation, protesters vandalized and set an army vehicle on fire. Lieutenant Colonel Maksudur Rahman from the Gopalganj camp confirmed the incident, noting that around 3,000 to 4,000 people had gathered and clogged the road, resulting in injuries to several army personnel. Gopinathpur Union’s former president, Lachchu Sharif, mentioned that the army fired shots to control the situation, injuring two people including a child. Thankfully, there were no fatalities.
Heightened Alert on India-Bangladesh Border
In light of the unrest in neighboring Bangladesh, Assam Police in India has been put on high alert along the India-Bangladesh border to ensure no illegal entry occurs. Director General of Police G.P. Singh stated that the central government has issued directives to prevent any illegal crossings from Bangladesh.
Read More: Bangladesh: 'Heinous Attacks on Minorities', Yunus Says-'We Fought and Will Live Together'
Attacks on Hindus
Hindus in Bangladesh are also being targeted. Temples have been set ablaze. Interim government head Muhammad Yunus condemned the attacks on the minorities affected by the violence on Saturday. He called these attacks heinous and urged all young people to ensure the protection of Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families. According to two Hindu organizations in Bangladesh - the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council - there have been at least 205 incidents of attacks on minority communities in 53 districts since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5.
