Bangladesh crisis: Iconic statue at 1971 Shaheed Memorial vandalised, Tharoor calls for urgent restoration of law and order

New Delhi: The iconic statue at the 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex in Bangladesh was vandalised amid ongoing protests in the country. In a post shared on X, Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said it was "sad to see images like this of statues" at the complex in Mujibnagar destroyed by anti-India vandals.

The former minister of state for external affairs urged Bangladesh's interim government to take urgent steps to restore law and order in the interest of all Bangladeshis of every faith, as he termed as "disgraceful" the attacks on the Indian cultural centre, temples and Hindu homes there.

"This follows disgraceful attacks on the Indian cultural centre, temples and Hindu homes in several places, even as reports came in of Muslim civilians protecting other minority homes and places of worship," Tharoor said in a post on X. "The agenda of some of the agitators is quite clear. It is essential that Muhammad Yunus and his interim government take urgent steps to restore law and order in the interests of all Bangladeshis, of every faith," he said.

India stands with the people of Bangladesh at this turbulent time but such anarchic excess can never be condoned, Tharoor asserted. Bangladesh's interim leader Yunus on Saturday condemned attacks on minority communities in the violence-hit nation, terming them as "heinous", and urged youngsters to protect all Hindu, Christian and Buddhist families from harm.

A number of Hindu temples, households and businesses were vandalised, women assaulted and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with the Awami League party headed by Sheikh Hasina were killed in the violence in Bangladesh after she fled the country, according to community leaders in Dhaka.

More 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government last week, taking the death toll to 560 since the anti-quota protests first started in mid-July.
(With PTI Inputs)