‘What will happen to us when police leave?’

The fear among Hindus -- whose houses and shops were attacked, set on fire, and looted -- in three villages under Ramnathpur union of Rangpur's Pirganj upazila has not abated yet.

Since the incident, the district administration has increased security in those areas. They are providing food assistance to all victims as well as addressing other concerns.

Nonetheless, Pirganj's Majhipara residents are concerned about their uncertain future and ask, what will happen to them when the police leave, reports our Dinajpur correspondent.  

Meanwhile, tomorrow is Lakshmi Puja -- a major religious festival of the Hindu community. Hindu households usually light pradip (lamp) on the occasion and Goddess Lakshmi's footprints are painted.

This time, however, there is no such preparations in Pirganj's burned villages.

On October 17, miscreants set fire to 25 houses and shops, including seven tin-shed houses, nine buildings, four mud houses and two shops in Majhipara, Battala and Hatibandha villages of Ramnathpur union.

A total of 66 families were affected by the attack, according to a government agency.

The residents of Pirganj's Majhipara have lost everything. This time, they don't have the resources to hold Lakshmi Puja in their houses gutted by fire.

Sudarshan Das, a resident of Majhipara, said that his two cows burned to death in the fire.

He also said that his family of six was unable to save anything except the clothes on their back.

"I went there yesterday, the burning smell was still in the air," he added.

According to Majhipara residents, outsiders set fire to their houses and shops, but the looting was carried out by locals.

Meanwhile, police have filed two cases over the incident and approximately 500 people have been named as accused, according to police sources.

Until this report was filed at 2:30pm today, no representative of any socio-cultural organisation, non-governmental organisation, or political party visited the site.