Muslim Rioters Burn Buddhist Temples and Homes in Bangladesh

The AP reports:

Thousands of Bangladeshi Muslims angry over an alleged derogatory photo of the Islamic holy book Quran on Facebook set fires in at least 10 Buddhist temples and 40 homes near the southern border with Myanmar, authorities said Sunday….

[A police chief] said at least 20 people were injured in the attacks that followed the posting of a Facebook photo of a burned copy of the Quran. The rioters blamed the photo on a local Buddhist boy, though it wasn’t immediately clear if the boy actually posted the photo.

Bangladesh’s popular English-language Daily Star newspaper quoted the boy as saying that the photo was mistakenly tagged on his Facebook profile….

More details from the Daily Star:

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir … promised to rebuild the Buddhist monasteries and temples and compensate the victims whose houses were destroyed.

The minister assured that the miscreants who stirred the violence would be traced and brought to book within 15 days….

Also addressing the rally, Industries Minister Dilip Barua said that in 1971 the country was liberated to establish a secular state. “The unprecedented events in Ramu have tarnished its reputation and our belief in secularism,” he said….

Thanks to Charles Chapman for the pointer.

Powered by WordPress. Designed by Woo Themes