HC asks govt
The High Court on Wednesday asked the government to ensure forthwith safety of all mosques and places of worship of other religions across the country.
The court issued the order after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua had filed on Tuesday in the wake of Saturday night’s attacks on Buddhist monasteries and households and Hindu temples and in Ramu, Cox’s Bazaar.
The bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Kazi Ejarul Haque Akondo also asked the government to submit to it by October 17 the report of the probe committee into the attacks in Ramu.
The bench also issued a rule asking the government and the police to explain their failure in protecting the places of worship at Ramu, Teknaf and Ukhia in Cox’s Bazaar and at Patiya in Chittagong.
Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua who comes from Ramu filed the public interest writ petition feeling aggrieved at the incidents.
The court also posted further hearing in the matter for October 18.
Another bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar asked the deputy commissioners and police superintendents of the districts to ensure safety and security of the Buddhists and the Hindus and their places of worship in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazaar.
The bench also asked the home secretary, inspector general of the police, the concerned DCs, SPs and the officers-in-charge of police to explain in seven days the measures they had taken before and after the incidents.
It also issued a rule asking the government and the police to explain by October 14
their failure to ensure security of citizens including the religious minority.
The authorities were also asked to explain why their silence over law and order maintenance in the country would not be declared illegal.
The bench passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akand.
Both the benches expressed deep shock and anxiety over the attacks on Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples over reported posting of anti-Muslim photographs in the Facebook status of a Buddhist.
The judges observed that the outrage caused by mobs discouraged co-existence and communal harmony, which is a fundamental principle of the constitution.
Citing newspaper reports, the petitioners’ lawyers said that around 30 houses were burnt and more than 100 structures were damaged in the attacks in 10 Buddhist villages including Srikool, Merongloua, Cerenghata, Ukhiyear Ghona, North Fatekharkhool, Jadipara and Askarkata in Johariana union and Purbo Merongloa in Ramu of Cox’s Bazar on the midnight of September 29.
The violence spread to Patiya in Chittagong on the following day.
Quoting newspapers, the counsels also said that mobs were mobilised near Ramu Chowmuhuni at around 10 PM and a procession was taken out with the participants chanting slogans against defamation of the Qur’an.
Quoting newspaper reports the lawyers said that the police ignored requests for preventive action made by Buddhist religious leaders and local people who witnessed the violence.
They said that the Buddhist religious leaders and local people had requested Ramu police chief and other senior officials to take preventive action as tension was building in the area over the Facebook post.
The lawyers described the inaction and silence of the local police and the administration officials as ‘mysterious’.
Advocate BM Elias moved the petition filed by Jyotirmoy Barua while Eunus Ali moved his own motion.
Courtesy of New Age
