Members of the Hindu community on Saturday blocked the Shahbagh Intersection for the second consecutive day demanding safety of religious minorities and protesting attacks on their homes, shops and places of worship across the country after the fall of Awami League government.
The protesters staged the demonstration at 3:00pm at the Shahbagh Intersection, halting vehicular movement in and around the area.
They said the movement would continue until the interim government took strict measures for their safety.
During the protests, they demanded formation of a minority affairs ministry, a minority protection commission, enactment and enforcement of strict laws to prevent all forms of attacks on minorities and reservation of 10 per cent parliamentary seats for minorities.
Besides, members of the Hindu community formed a human chain in Faridpur in front of Faridpur Press Club at 3:30pm under the banner of 'Sammilita Hindu Samaj'.
In Cox's Bazar, people under the banner of 'Sangkhyalaghu Chhatra Oikya' brought out a procession at around 4:00pm and gathered in front of the Central Shaheed Minar in Cox's Bazar.
The protesters demanded justice for the attacks and security of religious minorities.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera in a report -- 'Islamophobic, alarmist': How some India outlets covered Bangladesh crisis - said it could verify that only two Hindus were killed since Hasina's ouster on August 5. Of them, one was police officer and the other one Awami League activist.
"Many news reports of attacks on Hindus contain outlandish claims such as "more than one crore [10 million] refugees are likely to enter West Bengal soon," which was made in a Times of India report that quoted Suvendu Adhikari, a senior leader of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)," the Al Jazeera report said.
It is learnt that most of the affected Hindus, whose houses were attacked and vandalised after the fall of Awami League government, are Awami League leaders.
