Dhaka, Jan. 6 -- As the date of the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh draws nearer, communal violence is increasing at an alarming rate. In December alone, at least 51 incidents of violence were reported.

These included 10 murders, 10 cases of theft and robbery, 23 incidents involving the occupation of homes, business establishments, temples and land, looting and arson, four cases of arrest and torture on false allegations of religious defamation and being "agents of RAW", one attempted rape, and three incidents of physical assault, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said in a statement.

The trend of violence has continued into the first week of January this year.

On January 2, 96 decimals of paddy l...