Tears stream down Hiron Bala’s face as she clutches a battered cooking pot—one of the few belongings she could salvage from her ransacked home in Aldadpur village of Rangpur’s Gangachara upazila. “What wrong have we done? Why did they destroy our house?” she cries, echoing the fear and helplessness.
The violence began after a local teenager was arrested on Saturday evening over allegations of defaming the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Facebook. Despite the arrest, mobs attacked the Hindu community in two waves—first on Saturday evening, then again on Sunday—vandalising at least 14 homes, looting valuables, and forcing families to flee in panic.
Although law enforcement was deployed after the second wave of attacks, police have yet to arrest anyone or file a case as of Monday evening. “The situation is now under control,” said Gangachara Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Al Emran. “We’re investigating the incident.” However, the absence of immediate legal action has deepened the community’s sense of abandonment.
On Monday morning, families could be seen hurriedly loading mattresses, pots, and even livestock onto vans, seeking shelter in nearby villages. Many have not eaten or slept since the violence erupted.
Aldadpur’s primary and secondary schools remained empty despite teachers being present, as parents kept their children home or fled with them to relatives’ houses.
Local officials say a list of affected families is being compiled for relief assistance. “We’ve identified 14–15 homes that were damaged or looted,” said Gangachara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahmud Hasan Mridha.
“Some attackers came from outside the village. Police and army are now stationed in the area.”
But for families like that of Hiron Bala and her neighbour Ruhila Rani, official assurances offer little comfort. “They broke our boxes, took our gold, cash, everything,” said Ruhila. “Now we’re just trying to survive.”