DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladesh’s High Court asked the government Wednesday to explain why local officials failed to provide security to minority Buddhists whose homes, temples, and businesses were attacked over a picture of a burned Koran posted on Facebook.

A two-judge panel asked top bureaucrats of the Home Ministry and local administrators to reply within a week and ordered authorities to ensure safety in troubled areas of southern Bangladesh.

The judges ruled after a lawyer presented several newspaper reports on last weekend’s attacks. At least 10 temples and 40 homes were torched, looted, or vandalized in the district of Cox’s Bazar.

The government has already removed a local police chief for failing to thwart the attacks.

A 25-year-old Buddhist man has been blamed for the Facebook posting, but local media quoted him as saying he was not responsible.