Bangladesh: 2 men confess to inciting anti-Hindu attacks

The Bangladesh police has said that two men, accused of inciting hatred have admitted to their role in the communal violence that erupted during Durga Puja. In their statements to the courts, the duo confessed to instigating violence against the minority Hindu community.Shaikat Mandal and Rabiul Islam are among the 683 people arrested by police. Shaikat Mandal, an expelled leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, and his associate Rabiul Islam have confessed to inciting communal hatred that led to arson attacks on Hindu homes in Rangpur’s Pirganj, police say. 

Shaikat, accused in a case under the Digital Security Act, was brought to court for the recording of his statement on Sunday. The court on Sunday rejected bail petitions of 37 accused who were brought after a three-day remand. The court ordered them into jail. A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) official told bdnews24.com that Mandal uploaded objectionable content on Facebook to boost his follower count, while Islam instigated Muslims in the village through announcements on the loudspeaker.