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Rights Commission. It urged the law-enforcing agencies, civil society and students to play an effective role in maintaining communal harmony.

A statement by 29 eminent citizens said they received reports of attacks on Hindus in at least 35 districts, including Khulna, Jashore, Satkhira, Jhenaidah, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Narail, Munshiganj, Noakhali, Meherpur and Dhaka.

Ahmadiyya people in Panchagarh and Rangpur, ethnic minorities in Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj and Patuakhali, and Hijra community people in Jamalpur also came under attack, according to the statement.

They called upon the president and the army chief to deploy troops with specific directives in all districts and upazilas to prevent violence and looting.

The signatories of the statement include Sultana Kamal, Hameeda Hossain, Khushi Kabir, Rasheda K Choudhury, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, ZI Khan Panna, Saleem Samad, Shahnaz Huda, Shireen Huq, Kajal Debnath, Tabarak Hussain, Subrata Chowdhury, Sumaiya Khair, Faustina Pereira, and Shamsul Huda.

At a rally under the banner of “Pratibadi Samajik-Sangskritik Sangathan” outside the National Museum at Shahbagh in Dhaka at 4:30pm, 31 social and cultural organisations also condemned the vandalism of sculptures.

Mofizur Rahman Laltu, general secretary of Bibartan Sangskritik Kendra, called upon everyone to unite to resist the attacks, while Zakir Hossain, president of Gono Sangskritik Kendra, described the miscreants as “agents of fascism”.

Harunur Rashid, a physician and leader of professionals, requested everyone not to divide people in the name of religion.

Amit Ranjan Dey, general secretary of Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, read out a declaration on behalf of the 31 cultural and social organisations, presenting their vision for the type of government they want in the country.

Dipok Suman, chief of Tirandaz Natya Dal, and poet Hasan Fakir recited poetry at the event. Charan Sangskritik Kendra, Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Democrazy Clowns, and Bibartan Sangskritik Dal performed songs.

In a press statement, Manusher Jonno Foundation, or MJF, expressed support for the change towards democracy, but added that they are “deeply concerned” over the violence.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of MJF, said they were “delighted with the joy of liberation from the culture of a lack of democracy and misgovernance”.

She congratulated the young generation on this victory and expressed “profound” respect for those who have been martyred.

Emphasising MJF’s long-standing commitment to defending marginalised communities, Shaheen Anam “strongly” condemned the attacks on religious minorities and marginalised communities, and police stations, political offices, and statues as “completely unacceptable”.

The Workers’ Party of Bangladesh criticised the army chief for not playing a visible role in maintaining law and order even after promising to protect people. It called on the student leaders to take a vigilant and active role so that their victory does not go astray. It also urged all leftist, progressive, secular and anti-imperialist forces to take united action to restore peace and order in the society.