Bangladesh: Another Hindu temple vandalised ahead of Durga Puja

Dhaka, Sep 15 (IANS) In yet another disturbing attack on a Hindu temple in Bangladesh, miscreants vandalised idols and stole a security camera and memory card, local media reported.

The incident occurred on Sunday night at the Shwarupdah Palpara Sri Sri Rakhha Kali Temple in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia district ahead of the Durga Puja celebration, the largest religious festival of the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

According to the temple committee president Amaresh Ghosh, miscreants broke the heads and hands of the Kartik and Saraswati idols.

“At the time of the incident, there was no electricity in the area, and it was lightly raining. Taking advantage of this situation, the idols were vandalised. Even though the temporary tin-shed temple is guarded daily, the damage was done during the load-shedding," Bangladesh's leading daily, The Business Standard, quoted Ghosh as saying.

“For the past three years, we have been organising Durga Puja here. This incident ahead of Durga Puja has left us in a state of fear,” said Badal Kumar Dey, former secretary of the temple committee.

Confirming the development, Mominul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station, said, “We immediately reached the spot after receiving the news. A detailed report will be provided after the investigation.”

The vandalism of the Hindu temple in Kushtia is not an isolated act of violence in Bangladesh under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. It highlights a troubling trend as the nation has witnessed a surge in attacks on Hindu temples and minorities since Yunus assumed power in August 2024.

Last week, Bangladesh’s Awami League strongly condemned the interim government's Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury for his disparaging remarks against Hinduism, in which he reportedly referred to Hindu rituals as “gatherings of liquor and drugs.”

His offensive remarks came in the run-up to the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations in the country

Condemning the remarks, the Awami League said, “The Home Affairs Advisor of the illegitimate Yunus government has shattered the spirit of Bangladesh's Liberation War by making a vile remark against Hinduism".

The party stated that such words are not only deeply disrespectful but also a dangerous attempt to incite religious hatred.

Since the ouster of the democratically elected government of Awami League led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has been gripped by violence and extreme lawlessness. The interim government has also received massive criticism for providing shelter to radical and extremist Islamic outfits.

--IANS

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