Hindu boy Partha Biswas arrested for 'blasphemy' in Bangladesh, Muslim mob attacks police station, army vehicle after failed lynching attempt

Case ID : b0f5176 | Location : Chittagong District, Bangladesh | Date of Incident : Sun, 29 September, 2024

Case ID : b0f5176

Chittagong District, Bangladesh

29 September, 2024

Hindu boy Partha Biswas arrested for 'blasphemy' in Bangladesh, Muslim mob attacks police station, army vehicle after failed lynching attempt

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked over 'Blasphemy'

Case Summary

On September 30, 2024, a Muslim mob, primarily composed of local madrassa students, stormed the Patiya police station in Chittagong district, Bangladesh, after learning that a 22-year-old Hindu youth, Partha Biswas Pintu, had been arrested for allegedly making blasphemous comments about Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. The arrest followed a complaint filed by Kamrul Islam. Upon hearing about the arrest, a large mob of radical Muslims gathered outside the police station, demanding that the police hand over Partha to them so they could execute mob justice, similar to a previous case involving the lynching of Utsab Mandal. Despite these aggressive demands, the police refused to comply, leading to violent unrest. The mob vandalised the police station’s waiting room and attacked a Bangladesh Army vehicle after mistakenly identifying a boy in civilian clothes as Partha. In total, two army vehicles were targeted, and one army official sustained hand injuries during the attack. The injured officer was treated at the Patia Upazila Health Complex. In response to the escalating violence, the authorities deployed a large contingent of police and military personnel to the area to restore order and prevent further incidents. On August 5th, Bangladesh plunged into chaos after a successful coup ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, forcing her to flee the country as an enraged mob approached her residence. In the wake of the coup, Islamists exploited the unrest to launch violent attacks on the Hindu community, leading to numerous deaths, rapes, and the destruction of Hindu homes, shops, and temples, many of which were set on fire. In Shayestaganj Bazaar, Habiganj, there was a violent attack, vandalism, and looting at the shop of Asit Baran Das, the president of the Upazila Unity Council. Minority homes in Lohagara, Narail, were subjected to an attack that included vandalism, looting, and harassment, causing significant distress and damage.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the hate tracker under the prime category- Attack not resulting in death and within this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked over 'blasphemy'. Blasphemy essentially refers to the desecration of anything which is held sacred/holy to a group of people. However, for religious supremacist groups, the elements of ‘blasphemy’ are ever-changing, shifting and expanding – leading to infringement on the rights of other religious groups, freedom of speech and expression, threats and even physical violence. There are instances where blasphemy is also used as a dog whistle to target Hindus owing to intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. There are several instances where stating truths as mentioned in the non-Hindu doctrine itself has led to unmitigated violence against Hindus. There have also been instances where non-Hindus have themselves created a ‘blasphemous’ situation, like placing a Quran in a temple, to use it as an excuse to attack Hindus. Essentially, Blasphemy charges are often made up and/or are used to shut down any form of criticism of non-Hindu faiths and as a tool to target Hindus. Any physical violence over Blasphemy charges against Hindus are foundationally based on animosity for Hindus and their faith owing to religious supremacist ideologies, therefore, such attacks would be documented as religious motivated hate crimes under this category. Here, a Hindu youth named Partha was arrested for a remark of his, that the Islamists deemed derogatory towards Prophet Mohammed. Further, a Muslim mob, composed largely of madrassa students, stormed the police station with the intent of carrying out vigilante justice in the name of what they perceived as ‘blasphemy’. The mob vandalised the police station’s waiting room and attacked a Bangladesh Army vehicle after mistakenly identifying a boy in civilian clothes as Partha. The misuse of blasphemy law by Islamists poses a significant threat to Hindus. As seen in several cases, this law is often used as a tool of oppression and violence, leading to false accusations, mob justice, and social ostracisation of Hindus, especially in Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. The misuse of blasphemy laws against Hindus is often motivated by religious prejudice. Hindus are targeted because of their religious identity. Here, the intent of the mob to kill Partha in the name of defending religious sentiments, rooted in their perception of blasphemy, is a reflection of how the blasphemy law is weaponised to target and persecute Hindus. This incident not only shows the inherent dangers faced by religious minorities in the face of such laws but also underscores the deep-seated religious bias that fuels such attacks. It is for this reason that this case has been rightfully included in the hate tracker—as it stands as a clear example of a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus.