Bangladesh Crisis: 24 Burned Alive by Mob, Temples Damaged. Key Updates
People gather around the residence of the Bangladesh Prime Minister in Dhaka. (Photo: PTI)
At least 24 people, including an Indonesian national, were burned alive in Bangladesh on Monday night by a mob that set fire to a luxury hotel owned by an Awami League leader in Jashore district.
The incident occurred after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country. The victims, mostly hotel guests, were trapped in the fire that engulfed the Zabeer International Hotel, owned by Shahin Chakkladar, the district secretary of the Awami League.
After former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted, a Hindu association in Bangladesh reported that numerous Hindu homes, businesses and temples were targeted for vandalism.
Hindus make up about 8 percent of Bangladesh’s 171 million people and have traditionally supported Hasina’s Awami League party.
Bangladesh Crisis: Key Updates
1. Several news reports suggest that Sheikh Hasina’s trip to London has been set back due to unspecified “uncertainties”, and that she is likely to remain in India for a few more days. After arriving at the Hindon Air Base on Monday in a C-130J military transport plane following her resignation as prime minister, Sheikh Hasina has been shifted to an undisclosed location with tight security measures in place.
2. President Muhammad Shahabuddin appointed Muhammad Yunus as head of the interim government of Bangladesh, after consultations with student leaders and the leaders of the three branches of the armed forces.
3. The student leaders had said they wanted Muhammad Yunus to serve as the interim government’s chief adviser, and a representative of Yunus confirmed his willingness. Yunus is currently undergoing a medical procedure in Paris and is expected to return to Dhaka soon.
4. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) said between 200 and 300 predominantly Hindu homes and businesses have been vandalized since Monday, with 15 to 20 Hindu temples damaged. Up to 40 people have been injured, though none are serious, according to Rana Dasgupta, the council’s general secretary, as reported by the news agency Reuters.
5. A mob set fire to the Zabeer International Hotel, killing 24 people. Doctors at Jashore General Hospital reported counting 24 bodies inside the hotel. Hotel staff said more bodies may be buried under the rubble.
(With input from the agency)
First print: Aug 07, 2024 | 09:34 AM IST