Daijiworld Media Network - Dhaka
Dhaka, Sep 21: In yet another disturbing incident amid a surge of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh, seven idols at the Taryapara temple in Sarishabari upazila of Jamalpur district were vandalised late Saturday night, just days before Durga Puja—the most significant festival for the Hindu community in the country.
According to local authorities, the attack took place after artisans had left the temple for the night. The vandal, identified as Habibur Rahman, 35, from Shimlapalli village, allegedly entered the temple premises and smashed the heads and limbs of the idols prepared for the upcoming celebrations.
Police were alerted by temple committee members on Sunday morning, the day of Mahalaya, a sacred occasion that marks the beginning of the Puja countdown. Based on CCTV footage, Rahman was arrested shortly after.
“We rushed to the spot after being informed. One person has been arrested over the incident,” confirmed Officer-in-Charge Rashedul Hasan of Sarishabari Police Station.
Goesh Chandra Barman, president of the temple committee, expressed grief and anger, “We arrived to see the idols broken… the vandal was identified through CCTV.”
This is the second such incident within a week. Just days earlier, another Hindu temple—Shwarupdah Palpara Sri Sri Rakhha Kali Temple in Kushtia's Mirpur upazila—was targeted. Miscreants there vandalised idols and stole a CCTV camera and its memory card, exploiting a power outage and light rainfall. “Even though the temple is guarded daily, the damage was done during the load-shedding,” said Amaresh Ghosh, president of the temple committee, as quoted.
These attacks come against the backdrop of escalating religious tension in Bangladesh following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government. Since the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, took power in August 2024, reports of violence against minorities and lawlessness have increased sharply.
Adding fuel to the fire, Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury of the interim government recently made highly inflammatory remarks, describing Hindu rituals as “gatherings of liquor and drugs.” The Awami League strongly condemned his comments, which have sparked outrage just days before the Puja season begins.
Many fear that the interim government’s perceived alignment with radical Islamic outfits and failure to protect minority communities are creating an environment where attacks like these are carried out with impunity.
“For the past three years, we have been preparing for Durga Puja here. This incident ahead of the festival has left us in a state of fear,” said Badal Kumar Dey, former secretary of a local temple committee.
As Durga Puja draws near, with communities already facing tension and trauma, these repeated acts of religious vandalism not only threaten the spirit of the festival but also raise serious concerns about the safety and rights of minorities in a country where communal harmony is rapidly eroding.