In what is a deeply troubling development there have been several incidents of temple vandalism in Bangladesh recently. There have been alarming reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, there has been a significant increase in attacks on Hindu homes, businesses, and temples. One notable incident involved the theft of a crown from the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple in Satkhira, which was gifted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This theft has raised serious concerns and prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Additionally, there have been reports of attacks on Hindu temples and homes following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reported that numerous temples were vandalised, and many Hindu homes and businesses were targeted.
There has been a concerning rise in Islamist extremism in Bangladesh, which has led to increased violence against minorities, particularly the Hindus. The political vacuum following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has allowed Islamist parties to gain ground.
The situation in Bangladesh has been dire for the Hindu community. There have been numerous reports of violence and killings by radical mobs. For instance, during the recent Durga Puja celebrations, there were back-to-back attacks on Hindu communities, including attacks on puja mandaps. Miscreants attacked an idol immersion procession in Old Dhaka, injuring three people. Additionally, there have been reports of bomb attacks on puja mandaps and other violent acts targeting the Hindu community.
On 2 October, miscreants vandalised three under-construction idols intended for Durga Puja at Palpara Durga Mandir in Pabna’s Sujanagar. The hands and heads of the idols were damaged, as reported by Bijon Pal, president of the temple committee. Radical Islamic groups in Bangladesh have issued threats to the minority Hindu community, urging them not to openly celebrate Durga Puja and opposing nationwide holidays for the festival.
These incidents have raised serious concerns about the safety and security of minorities in the country. This situation calls for urgent action to protect the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. It’s a deeply troubling issue that highlights the need for stronger measures to ensure the safety and rights of all communities.
In Ramganj, Lakshmipur District, 4-5 children aged 8-9, students of local schools and madrasas, were caught vandalising Durga Puja idols. An administrator noted the troubling mindset within the community, suggesting that children are encouraged to break idols for rewards. Critics warn that promoting hatred towards art and statues, such as those of Mujib, perpetuates this behaviour, leading to a cycle of vandalism and intolerance. Social media posts have shown that miscreants vandalised seven idols at the Durga Puja Mandap in Kishoreganj, in the early hours of October 3.
Liton Sarkar, president of Gopinath Jeur Akhara’s Durga Puja Udjapan Committee, said, “We organized Durga Puja for the first time at this akhra. This vandalism is bleeding inside us. This has never happened in the city. Those who vandalise idols want to destroy communal harmony. They should be identified and arrested immediately. ”
Narayan Dutta Pradip, president of the District Puja Udjapan Parishad, said, “The Hindu community is pained by the vandalism of the Durga idol before the puja. Everyone is terrified now. If vandalism continues like this, how will we celebrate religious festivals? ” Jamaat-Shibir, the youth division of the Jamaat e islami, members vandalised idols ahead of Durga Puja on September 20 , whereas the temple was vandalised at night. The Dhaka Tribune reported on October 4 that Several idols at the Shyampur Deuri Bari Sarbojanin Sri Sri Durga Temple, located in Shyampur Village of Rangashri Union, under Bakerganj Upazila in Barisal District, were vandalised.
Extremists also attacked the Dhamrai Dakshin Para Sarvajanjan Kali temple in Dhaka district, vandalising Durga Murti and other idols. This incident occurred as local Hindus were preparing for the upcoming Durga Puja by constructing the idols. Unfinished idola for Durga Puja broken at temples in Bhat Tala Hat, Chapainawabganj on 6 October 2024.
Hindus in Khulna have been asked to pay 5 lakh Bangladeshi taka to celebrate Durga Puja. Hindus will be beheaded, according to the letter received in the mail, if they reveal this to the government or the media.
Radical Islamist groups have been marching on the streets protesting against Hindu public celebrations and opposing nationwide holidays for the Hindu festival. A 16-point demand has been issued calling for various restrictions on the freedom of religions and beliefs of Hindus. The demands of the radical groups include – No road closures for Hindu worship, No idol immersion in water, No government funds for Hindu festivals. This anti-Hindu sentiment, coupled with ongoing vandalism of temples, has heightened the community’s insecurity, with government assurances proving weak. Despite centuries of cultural celebration, Hindus are being pressured to halt their traditions.
Members of the Hindu minority claim that the Bangladeshi government has failed to take action against these radical groups, which have intensified their attacks since the fall of the previous Sheikh Hasina-led administration.
On the theft of the golden crown at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple in the southern Bangladesh district of Satkhira on October 10 Investigations the Yunus government has rather tried to lay blame on the temple management, questioning why the priest and temple staff left such a precious possession unguarded and insecure.
The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, has dismissed India’s concerns about the attacks on Hindus as “uncalled for” and “baseless”. Yunus has described the issue as exaggerated and primarily political rather than communal. And yet so troubling and widespread have been the attacks on Hindu temples during the Durga Puja that Yunus had to visit the Dhakeshwari temple following vandalism during celebrations, to keep up appearances that the interim government is taking note.
Recent threats against Hindus in Bangladesh have escalated dramatically, with radical groups warning them to leave within seven days or face violence. Incidents include open molestation of Hindu women, vandalism of homes and places of worship, and the burning of the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, along with its 21,000 books. The government, led by the Muhammad Yunus, has downplayed these atrocities and released radicalised terrorists from jail. There are alarming reports of kidnappings and forced resignations of Hindu officials. Calls are growing for India’s intervention, including suggestions for the balkanization of Bangladesh or the establishment of an autonomous Hindu region.
This is a screenshot of a video, which went viral on social media, featuring an individual making inflammatory statements against the Hindu community. This incident has raised concerns about religious tensions and the safety of minority groups in Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi daily “Prothom Alo” has reported an incident of a “crude bomb” allegedly thrown at a Durga Puja pandal in the Tanti Bazar area of Old Dhaka. CCTV footage showed a group of youths coming from a nearby lane and throwing petrol bombs and running away through the adjacent gate. When they were immediately caught, they stabbed them and fled. Five people, including puja volunteers and visitors, were injured. The puja committee has expressed strong resentment over the role of the police in the incident. The police equated the incident of throwing petrol bombs at the idol with a snatching incident.
Arson attacks on Hindu residences have continued, turning Durga Puja celebrations into occasions of grief. Hindu persecution in Bangladesh is not new. Each political change brings a turmoil of persecution to the Hindu community. But today in Yunus’s Bangladesh, secularism appears to have become a constitutional mandate only, and persecution has become the new reality. What is deplorable is that no international body or government are addressing this human rights travesty effectively.
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