One year on, Bangladesh restores Buddhist temples destroyed in riots

A year ago, tensions were on a razor's edge in southeast Bangladesh, as Muslim mobs looted and vandalised 19 Buddhist temples and monasteries.

But the pogrom, which also saw scores of Buddhist villages set on fire in the Cox's Bazar area, has inspired religious reconciliation, all too rare in South Asia.

The government of the Muslim-majority nation renovated and reconstructed all the temples and monasteries, drawing praise from across the region. The project was completed last month.

Nilutpal Barua, joint secretary of the Central Buddhist Unity and Welfare Society in the sub-district of Ramu - scene of the worst attacks on September 29 and 30 last year - said community leaders were grateful.

"Many Buddhists said after the attack that the government would not bother to compensate the community for the riot anyway and that Bangladesh was no longer safe for Buddhists," the college lecturer said. "But the government acted swiftly with sincerity and now community members [are] happily visiting the temples and monasteries again.

"Many Buddhist artefacts of historical importance were lost … yet we are happy with the government because it has done much to heal our wounds."