(MENAFN- IANS) Dhaka, Nov 25 (IANS) Hundreds of Bangladeshi citizens have called for an immediate end to the rampant assaults, lawsuits, arrests and mob attacks taking place across the country under the guise of alleged "blasphemy", local media reported.

This comes amid mounting anger and protests over the arrest of Baul singer Abul Sarkar on charges of hurting religious sentiments, and a subsequent attack on his followers in Manikganj district.

According to the joint statement by 258 citizens, in the aftermath of last year's July demonstrations, religious extremism has "begun to rear its head" in Bangladesh, with a particular section appearing to have positioned itself as the "sole agents" of Islam, while launching a nationwide crackdown.

"The demolition of more than 200 shrines, declarations branding countless individuals as apostates, infidels, or blasphemers, exhuming corpses and burning them, forcibly cutting the matted hair of bauls and fakirs, harassing women for their mobility or clothing, disrupting performances of music, dance and theatre, and even obstructing sports and fairs. All this suggests that annihilating those who hold different beliefs or lifestyles has become their objective," Bangladesh's Bengali daily Prothom Alo quoted the signatories as saying.

Slamming the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government for failing to take effective measures to curb these violent incidents, the signatories said accusations of "blasphemy" are consistently used as the primary tool behind these attacks.

"Even after a year and a half, the government's behaviour suggests that religious fascism is being tacitly tolerated in order to consolidate its own position. This is deepening the frustration of pro-democracy citizens and paving the way for the return of defeated fascist forces. It is also creating opportunities for Bangladesh to be portrayed on the global stage as a potentially religious extremist state," the joint statement added.

The signatories also condemned the arrest of Abul Sarkar and demanded his immediate release.

Those who issued the statement included teachers, writers, researchers, artists, journalists, human rights defenders, cultural activists, and Baul followers in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has witnessed escalating violence against minorities, rising mob violence and indiscriminate arrests of political opponents under the Yunus-led interim government, sparking outrage among people and several human organisations across the globe.

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