Dhaka, Sept 04 (V7N): The month of August witnessed a surge in violence across the country, resulting in 541 deaths, according to a report released yesterday by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS). The report highlights political revenge, attacks on police stations, and assaults on minority communities as key contributors to the violence, which has deepened societal divisions.

The report notes that minority communities, particularly Hindus and Ahmadiyyas, faced significant harm in the wake of the protests, with widespread attacks on their homes and religious sites. The violence, which included the indiscriminate killing of students and protesters during the first five days of August, led to a significant death toll.

HRSS compiled the statistics from 12 national newspapers, documenting that after August 7, political violence resulted in 22 deaths and 537 injuries. The report details 49 incidents of political violence: 23 were due to infighting within the BNP, 21 involved clashes between the BNP and the Awami League (AL), four were linked to AL infighting, and one was a clash between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. Among the 22 fatalities, 12 were from the BNP and 10 from the AL.

The report also highlighted the dangers faced by journalists, with two killed and 61 injured in August. Journalist Md Atikur Rahman was killed in Jatrabari during the protests, while Pradip Kumar Bhowmik was killed in Sirajganj. HRSS also reported that cases were filed against 38 journalists.

The violence extended to minority communities, with at least 65 attacks recorded, leaving 61 people injured. The report documented attacks on 228 Hindu homes, 240 Hindu businesses, and 15 temples across various regions, including Natore, Dhamrai, Dinajpur, Patuakhali, Shariatpur, Faridpur, Jashore, Noakhali, Meherpur, Chandpur, and Khulna. Additionally, the Ahmadiyya community faced attacks in Panchagarh and Rangpur.

HRSS cautioned that the actual figures could be much higher, as these numbers only reflect incidents reported by the media. The organization emphasized the need to restore the rule of law and strengthen democratic institutions through dialogue with students, civil society, and political parties, warning that the human rights situation will continue to deteriorate without these interventions.

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