Rangpur: BNP on Monday demanded strong action against the perpetrators through a judicial probe into the sectarian attack on the Hindu community members and their houses at Harkali Thakurpara village in Sadar upazila here.

Talking to reporters after visiting the affected village, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also alleged that Hindu community members came under repeated attacks usually when Awami League comes to power, and the blame is shifted to BNP and others for political reason.

‘A judicial probe will have to be launched into the incident. Those involved in the attack must be put on trial, no matter which party they belong to,’ he said.

The BNP leader said their party has also formed an inquiry team to look into the incident.

About Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader’s remark that the brutal attack was made to harm ties with neighbouring India, he said, ‘The ruling party always tries to shift the blame of such incident to us to make political gains and dent BNP’s image. After investigation, it has been found that their own (AL’s) people are involved in those.’

Fakhrul said Bangladesh is a country of harmony where Hindus and Muslims have been living together years after years. ‘An evil force is trying to destroy the harmony. There is no effort in sight to track down those who are behind it.’

Referring to Chief Justice SK Sinha’s resignation, the BNP leader said he was forced to quit as he spoke the truth. ‘He (Sinha) belongs to the Hindu community. He was forced to leave the country through a plot.’

The BNP secretary general came to Harkali Thakurpara village in the morning from Dhaka by air and visited the damaged houses and talked to the victims.

He, on behalf of BNP, provided each of the 11 affected families with Tk 10,000, sari and lungi while family members of Habibur Rahman who killed during the attack given Tk 20,000.

Fakhrul also assured the Hindu community members of standing beside them to ensure their security and prevent such communal attacks.

On November 10, over a reported Facebook post allegedly made by Titu Chandra ‘demeaning’ Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PUBH), around 8,000 people from nearby villages marched towards Hindu-dominated Thakurbari village and vandalised and torched 8-10 houses.

They also locked into a clash with police at that time, leaving villager Habibur Rahman dead.