Fear gripped the Hindu community members in Bangladesh's Rangpur area after several of their homes were vandalised by people protesting over an alleged Facebook post hurting religious sentiment.

Police told The Daily Star 12 houses were attacked, while the locals put the number at 20 and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer at 15.

Army personnel and additional police have been deployed in the area to prevent further violence, Al Emran, officer-in-charge of Gangachara Model Police Station told the newspaper.

The incident reportedly occurred after a teenager in the village allegedly uploded a Facebook post that allegedly hurt the religious sentiments.

Tension has been rising in the area following the incident.

A group of people vandalised some houses in the neighbourhood around 10:00pm that night,  Al Emran said.

Police have arrested the youth.

Sub-inspector Shameem Ahmed has filed a case against him under the Cyber Security Act, the newspaper reported.

The accused has been produced before the court on Sunday. He has been sent to a juvenile correctional centre.

Around Sunday noon, several hundred people formed a human chain and staged demonstrations in the area, demanding his punishment. Many of them later marched towards the Hindu neighbourhood and vandalised some more houses, OC Al Emran said.

Speaking to The Daily Star on Sunday, the juvenile's father claimed his son did not upload any such post. "Rather, someone might have done this using a fake ID. It is a conspiracy."

Rabindra Chandra Roy, a resident of the area, told The Daily Star that his house has been damaged.

"They took away my two cows and cash; they smashed chairs, tables and other furniture. We are panicking. I have sent two women and three children of my family to my relatives' home," Roy said.