Protests erupt in Bangladesh amid Muslim-Hindu tensions

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh’s capital have clashed with police over what they perceived as an image insulting Islam that had gone viral over social media. Imagines purportedly showing a copy of the Quran — Islam’s holy book — at the feet of a statue in a Hindu temple in eastern Bangladesh have triggered incidents of vandalism at Hindu temples across other parts of the Muslim-majority country. The rise in communal tensions came as the minority Hindus celebrated the last day of their largest religious festival — the Durga Puja. Police say the street protests began after the main Friday prayers at a mosque in the center of Dhaka. Protesters chanted anti-India slogans and criticized Bangladesh’s prime minister, accusing her of being close with New Delhi.