Dhaka: Ten minority community members were killed and 366 others injured in separate attacks across the country in the first quarter of the current year, according to Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Christian Oikya Council (BHBCOP).

Besides, 10 people were abducted with two of them being victim to forced conversion while eight women raped during the period between 1 January and 31 March.

BHBCOP came up with the information at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Friday.

BHBCOP General Secretary Rana Das Gupta read out a written statement at the press conference.

The report was prepared based on reports published in different newspapers, online portals, complaints recorded at police stations and their own sources, Rana Das said.

He said at least 732 incidents of human rights violation occurred across the country during the period.

The number of attack incidents over various reasons, including religious issues, land dispute, extortion and land occupation, in the first three months of the current year is three times higher than the ones occurred last year, the BHBCOP General Secretary said.

A total of 24 members of the minority communities were killed and 239 others injured while 26 abducted, 25 women were raped and 52 people threatened across the country between 1 January and 31 December in 2015.

A total of 261 incidents of attack on members of three religious communities took place across the country last year. ‘It’s a matter of regret that the present human rights situation of Bangladesh involving the religious minority communities is worse than that of 2015,’ Rana Das said.

He said incidents of attack, arson, looting and vandalism have been occurring in the three minority community-prone areas centring on the ongoing Union Council elections. ‘At least 8,250 people, families and organisations were affected by the attacks over the UC elections,’ he added.

The BHBCOP general secretary alleged that most of the perpetrators carried out the attacks using political influence and power. Even, they created obstacles to taking necessary steps by the local administrations in many of the cases he added.

Rana Das said Jogeswar Das Adhikari, a Hindu priest at a temple in Debiganj of Panchagarh, was one of the victims of the attacks throughout the country.

Among others, presidium members of the organisation Kajal Devnath and Joyanta Sen Tipo were present at the press conference.