Four killed as protests against Facebook post turns deadly in Bangladesh
At least four people have been killed and dozens more injured after police in southern Bangladesh opened fire to disperse hundreds of people during a protest over an alleged social media post that offended Muslims.
The clashes in the southern district of Bhola erupted on Sunday when 20,000 Muslims protested against a Facebook post in which a Hindu man allegedly made derogatory remarks about Islam.
“At least four people were killed and up to 50 people were injured,” police inspector Salahuddin Mia said.
Sarkar Mohammad Kaisar, the superintendent of police, said about a dozen police officials were among the injured.
He said police fired “blank shots” in self-defense after some of the protesters threw rocks at officers.
“We fired blank shots in self-defense when some people started throwing stones at our officers forcing us to take shelter in a building.”
Extra police and border guards were rushed to prevent violence in Bhola, which is located 195 kilometers from the capital, Dhaka.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has called for calm, said the Facebook account of the Hindu man charged with inciting religious tension had been hacked and used to “spread lies.”
“We saw rumors are being spread in Facebook to create an environment of anarchy. Who are they? What is their intention?” Hasina said in a speech to her political party’s members. “I asked our countrymen to have patience. And those who want to fish in troubled waters, we will find them and take action against them.”
Following a complaint by the Facebook account holder, police detained three people for allegedly hacking the account.
In 2016, Hindu-Muslim clashes broke out in an eastern town over a Facebook post that allegedly mocked one of Islam’s holiest sites.
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