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Religious Affairs Advisor AFM Khalid Hossain has said more attacks have been carried out on Muslim homes than on Hindu homes in the aftermath of the fall of the Awami League government, reports bdnews24.com.
The recent incidents of vandalism and looting at religious sites are unacceptable and they should remain as they are, he said during a discussion at Rajshahi's Islamic Foundation premises on Saturday.
The discussion was held to establish communal harmony and address social issues such as terrorism, corruption, drug abuse, and violence against women.
It included not only religious scholars but also leaders from Hindu and Christian communities.
Advisor Khalid dismissed the notion that the attacks on Hindu homes were part of a communal agenda.
He labelled the attacks as isolated incidents and said the majority of violence has affected Muslim properties, including mosques.
Before the meeting, Khalid spoke to journalists about the attacks on the properties and places of worship of the religious minorities following the change of power.
In response to a question, Khalid said: “After the victory achieved through the Anti-discrimination Student movement, foreign media reported that homes and places of worship of Hindu and Buddhist communities are being attacked. While I wouldn’t deny that attacks have occurred, they were sporadic and not of significant scale.
“The attacks were politically motivated and not based on communal tensions,” he added.
In response to reports about attempts to build a mosque on the land of the Kantajew Temple in Dinajpur, the advisor said: There is government land next to the mosque; let the mosque expansion take place on that leased land, while the temple property remains with the temple."
Khalid said communal harmony is a tradition in Bangladesh and will remain intact.
"I am not just an adviser to Muslims; I am also an advisor to Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. They have equal rights, and we will always stand by them," he added.