Muslims, Hindus protest amid communal violence in Bangladesh

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Protests erupted for a 2nd time successful Bangladesh’s superior connected Saturday, amid a question of unit against section Hindus pursuing a viral societal media representation perceived arsenic insulting to the country’s Muslim majority.

Some 10,000 protesters — galore of them carrying banners of Islamist governmental parties — took to the streets extracurricular the main mosque of the capital, Dhaka, a time aft demonstrations connected the aforesaid tract ended successful clashes with police.

The assemblage chanted “Down with the enemies of the Islam” and “Hang the culprits”.

Photos showing a transcript of the Quran —Islam’s beatified book—at the feet of a statue successful a Hindu temple successful the eastbound territory of Cumilla triggered the protests, arsenic good arsenic incidents of vandalism astatine Hindu temples crossed Bangladesh.

“We inquire the authorities to apprehension those who defamed the Quran by putting it astatine the feet of an idol successful Cumilla,” Mosaddek Billah Al Madani, president of Bangladesh’s Islami Movement. He added that protesters demanded “the decease sentence” for those liable for the images.

Separately, successful a adjacent intersection astir 1,000 Hindus protested the attacks connected temples and the sidesplitting of 2 Hindu devotees successful different territory wherever respective temples were vandalized by Muslim mobs.

Police said astatine slightest 2 Hindus were killed successful Friday’s attacks.

The emergence successful communal tensions came arsenic the number Hindus celebrated their largest spiritual festival, the Durga Puja. About 9% of Bangladesh’s 160 cardinal are Hindu.