In a troubling wave of violence against Bangladeshi Hindus, Islamists desecrated eight murtis (idols) across three Hindu temples. These incidents that took place in Dinajpur and Mymensingh caused pain amongst the Hindu community, both in Bangladesh and in India.
In Dinajpur’s Birganj sub-district, five (murtis) idols at the Jharbari Shashan Kali Temple were desecrated, with the vandalism coming to light after two days. In the Mymensingh’s Haluaghat sub-district, three (murtis) idols across two other temples were ransacked. Local authorities have arrested two individuals in connection with these attacks.
In Mymensingh, a 27-year-old man, Alal Uddin, was apprehended who confessed to vandalizing the (murti) idol at the Polashkanda Kali Temple in Beeldora union. Similarly, another Islamist, identified as Azharul, was arrested for desecrating (murtis) idols at the Bonderpara Temple in the Shakuai union. Both Islamists have been produced in court and are now in custody.
Janardan Roy, president of the Jharbari Shashan Kali Temple committee, expressed his shock, saying, “We’ve never seen such an act here.” The desecration of (murtis) idols has once again highlighted the vulnerability of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, which has been subjected to increasing instances of violence in recent years.
The latest attacks add to a disturbing trend. According to India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, 2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities have been reported in Bangladesh this year as of December 8. These incidents range from vandalism to outright assaults on temples, homes, and businesses.
In response to the ongoing violence, members of the Bengali Hindu Suraksha Samiti staged a protest in Kolkata on December 10, burning posters of Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser, Muhammed Yunus, accusing him of failing to protect minorities.
Last week, authorities in Bangladesh arrested four individuals for vandalizing a Hindu temple and targeting homes and shops belonging to Hindus in the Sunamganj district. Despite these arrests, the measures taken by the Bangladeshi government remain insufficient to deter such attacks or safeguard the rights of minority communities.