31 writers condemn recent incidents of communal violence, demand justice

Thirty-one eminent citizens including writers, poets, and literary figures have condemned the recent incidents of communal violence in different parts of the country, terming it "unprecedented and reprehensible." 

In a statement issued on Saturday, they said, "If the administration had been more vigilant after the incident in Cumilla, the violence and attacks would not have taken place again in Hajiganj or elsewhere."

The statement said that the incident in Cumilla was pre-planned and a communal group may have staged it for political gain. "They had created a trap of violence and some people fell into it."

The statement called for an independent and impartial investigation into the incident, saying it would not have happened if the general people were aware.

"It is the responsibility of the state to make the people aware and build a non-communal mindset."

The writers said that communalism is a national problem. "A series of national dialogues can be organised to solve this. By involving people from all walks of life, the root cause of this issue can be identified through discussion."

Imtiaz Shamim, Shahnaz Munni, Ahmad Mostafa Kamal, Kabir Humayun, Shamim Reza, Alfred Khokon, Tokon Thakur, Rajib Noor, Piyas Majid, among others signed the statement.

Earlier, tensions escalated across the country following an incident of alleged "demeaning the Holy Quran" at a Durga Puja mandap in Cumilla on Wednesday.

Following the incident, attacks were carried out on puja mandaps, temples, houses, and business establishments belonging to the Hindu community in different districts of the country.