Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has stated that there was a deliberate attempt to disrupt communal harmony during the recently concluded Durga Puja, allegedly backed by fascist groups. He said, “Certain groups, both within the country and abroad, had conspired to incite communal unrest. However, with public cooperation and active intelligence efforts, the government successfully thwarted the plot.”
He made these remarks on Sunday (October 5) during a press briefing at the Secretariat following a meeting of the Core Committee on Law and Order.
According to the adviser, there were attempts to provoke religious sentiment by placing beards on the faces of demons in a few puja mandaps. However, due to the prompt action of law enforcement agencies, vigilant intelligence monitoring, and cooperation from the Puja Celebration Committees, the conspiracy failed.
He also addressed a separate incident in Khagrachhari, where unrest was sparked following allegations of rape involving a teenage girl. “Efforts were made to destabilize the area based on that claim,” he said. “But the medical examination found no evidence of sexual assault.”
Chowdhury further informed that Section 144, which had been imposed in Khagrachhari to maintain order, has now been lifted and the situation there is under control.
