Amid growing concerns over violence targeting religious minorities and their places of worship in Bangladesh, another Hindu temple was allegedly set on fire on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, located in Dhor village, north of Dhaka, was attacked late Friday night. Babul Ghosh, the temple’s caretaker, stated that a complaint has been filed against unidentified assailants responsible for the act.
Speaking to ANI, Ghosh explained that the attackers doused the idols with petrol and fled upon hearing approaching footsteps. He alleged that the attackers had ulterior motives beyond desecrating the idols.
“Our temple, Shri Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, is an ancestral temple. Last night, the attackers entered through the rear, poured petrol on the idols, and set them ablaze. The idols of Lakshmi and Narayan, adorned in traditional attire, along with the backdrop curtain, were completely burnt. The attackers fled after hearing footsteps. Neighbors noticed the fire and helped extinguish it,” Ghosh said, showing the charred remains of the temple.
Ghosh further added that he immediately alerted the police and filed an official complaint. “The attackers avoided the front entrance, knowing it was under CCTV surveillance, and entered from the rear. Unfortunately, no footage of the incident was captured,” he noted.
Clarifying the temple’s identity, Ghosh stated, “Our temple is Shri Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, distinct from the ISKCON temple located opposite us, which was not harmed in the attack.”
The filed complaint alleged that the attack was intended to insult the Hindu community. It detailed how Ghosh and his family discovered the fire in the early hours of December 7 and found evidence of petrol and other flammable substances at the site.
Meanwhile, Radharaman Das, Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata, expressed deep concern. “The idols of Lakshminarayan have been desecrated, and the temple has been burned. Despite recent meetings between Bangladesh’s interim government and minority leaders, the situation remains dire. We are receiving threats, including demands to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh, with ultimatums to harm devotees,” Das said.
This incident adds to the growing list of attacks against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. Reports of arson, looting, and desecration of temples and idols have been on the rise. The recent arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Chittagong on sedition charges sparked widespread protests.
India, on November 26, expressed grave concern over the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. New Delhi urged Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of minorities, along with their right to peaceful assembly and free expression.
(Ani)