Houses Of Christian Tripura Community Torched In Bangladesh On Christmas Eve – News18

Last Updated:December 25, 2024, 21:38 IST

17 homes of Christian Tripura community in Bandarban were torched by “unknown miscreants”.

Unknown miscreants torched 17 houses of Christian Tripura community in Bangladesh’s Bandarban on the night of Christmas eve. According to a report by the The Daily Star.

The miscreants set ablaze the houses of the people when the residents had gone to another village for Christmas eve celebrations. They had gone to the nearby village because there was no church in the vicinity.

17 out of 19 houses of the Tripura community were completely gutted, the news outlet said citing officials.

“Today is our happiest day. I never dreamed such a situation would happen on Christmas….We demand exemplary punishment of the criminals,” Gungamani Tripura, a victim, was quoted as saying by the news outlet.

The Tongijhiri area had been inhabited by the Tripura community for generations. Locals said they were forcibly evacuated a few years ago when some claimed the area was leased to the wife of a police officer during the Awami League regime. Trees were planted in the village after the eviction.

Paisapru Tripura, head of the new Tongjhiri, stated they had lived there for three or four generations. A group claiming to be “SP’s men” forced them out four to five years ago.

The “SP’s men” allegedly said the land was leased to Benazir Ahmed’s wife, who was the inspector general of police at the time. After the Awami League’s fall, the Tripura community returned, built new houses, and resumed living there.

Bangladesh has been witnessing atrocities against minorities since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime. Attacks on Bengali Hindus, Christians, adivasis and hill tribes have grown following the ouster of the Bangladeshi prime minister after weeks of protests led by students demanding quota reforms.

Location :

Dhaka, Bangladesh