Idols in three Hindu temples vandalised in Bangladesh

Dhaka: In fresh incidents, miscreants have vandalised eight idols in three Hindu temples in Bangladesh's Mymensingh and Dinajpur over two days, a media report said on Friday.

Police have arrested one person in connection with vandalism at one of the temples, The Daily Star newspaper reported.

These are the latest in a series of incidents against the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.

In Mymensingh's Haluaghat sub-district, three idols of two temples were vandalised early Thursday and Friday.

Quoting temple sources and locals, Abul Khayer, officer-in-charge (OC) of Haluaghat Police Station, said miscreants ransacked two idols of Bonderpara Temple in the Shakuai union of Haluaghat in the early hours of Friday.

No case was filed and no arrests have been made in the incident yet, he said.

In another incident, criminals vandalised an idol at Polashkanda Kali Temple in Beeldora union of Haluaghat early Thursday.

Police on Friday arrested a 27-year-old man of the Polashkanda village over his alleged involvement.

During interrogation, the man, Alal Uddin, confessed to the crime, said the OC.

He was produced before a Mymensingh court this afternoon, which sent him to jail, he added.

Earlier Thursday, Suvash Chandra Sarker, president of the Polashkanda Kali Temple committee, filed a case accusing unidentified persons.

In Dinajpur's Birganj sub-district, five idols were vandalised at Jharbari Shashan Kali Temple on Tuesday.

The incident came to light on Thursday, according to the report.

"We've never seen such an act here," Janardan Roy, president of the temple committee, was quoted as saying.

Officer-in-Charge Abdul Gafur said they are investigating the incident.

Last week, law enforcement agencies arrested four people for vandalising and damaging a Hindu temple and houses and shops of the community in Sunamganj district in north Bangladesh.

Earlier on November 29, three Hindu temples were vandalised by a slogan-shouting mob in Bangladesh’s Chattogram which witnessed protests and violence since a former ISKCON member was booked under sedition charges.

The relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power after deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 5 following a student-led protest.

The relations deteriorated further in recent weeks over continued attacks on Hindus, especially after the recent arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of ISKCON Bangladesh and now, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote organisation.

Last week, Bangladesh acknowledged 88 incidents of communal violence against minorities, primarily Hindus, following Hasina’s ouster.

The increasing number of anti-Hindu incidents has led to a diplomatic row between India and Bangladesh.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri flagged regrettable incidents of attacks on minorities and conveyed India’s concerns, including those related to the safety and welfare of minorities, during his meetings with the Bangladeshi leadership in Dhaka.