Hindus in Muslim-majority Bangladesh have gone through challenging times during their recent religious celebrations of the Durga Puja.
“Unidentified miscreants” committed incessant attacks on Hindus and their religious establishments days before the Durga Pujas. One of the initial attacks took place in the Faridpur district in September. Locals found the Hindu temple at Tambulkhana Bazar vandalized, and several idols of the Hindu deities desecrated. Hindus recounted that the potter shaping fresh idols for the upcoming Durga Pujas had worked till the previous night and left for home. The following day, he found the idols smashed and the temple torn down. Though no one has been identified as accused, local Hindus suspect the that Islamic jihadis behind this wreckage.
Similar incidents were reported from Gopalganj and Narail districts as well. Again, “unknown miscreants” vandalized an under-construction Durga idol kept inside the Hindu temple, Purulia Thakurbari at Purulia village of Narail district on the night of September 28. As the news spread, local Hindus gathered in large numbers and demanded security. The police visited the spot, but the Hindus stated that the police did nothing to identify or arrest the miscreants, and were trying to suppress the entire incident.
Durga idols were also found smashed in the Hindu temple of Porahati village under Porahati Union in the Jhenaidah district. The template remains constant: the potter goes home at night, the idols-in-making are left in the temple, and then the Hindus discover that the idols are torn apart later. This time, however, the miscreants took their vandalism game a notch up; they didn’t just destroy the idols; they beheaded them in true ISIS style, leaving the Hindu minority in the region in fear.
The next reported incident of victimizing Hindus ahead of the festivities surfaced from Jhalokati district. Ekattor TV reported that on the morning of October 7, a Muslim mob tore down Dhiren Pal’s house, ravaged the Hindu temple adjacent to his property, and wrecked idols of Hindu deities. Leaders of the Hindu minority community reached the spot with the police. They inspected the area, registered a complaint, and started the investigation, but we have yet to know whether or not the investigation has led to any arrests or identification of miscreants.
A burqa-clad woman was reportedly arrested for defacing and damaging idols of Goddess Durga during Mahalaya festivities in a Shitalabari Temple in the Khulna district. A few days later, on October 18, 45-year-old Muhammed Monir entered the Hindu temple at Vitichinadi village in Narsingdi and shattered several idols. This time, Hindus caught him red-handed and informed the police. Police initiated a case under section 295 of the Bangladesh Penal Code based on the written complaint made by Hindu committee members.
But then some Muslims marched to the police station and demanded the immediate release of the accused. They claimed that Monir entered the Hindu premises and broke the idols of the deities because he was mentally unstable.
“The accused is mentally unstable” is a time-honored excuse and is applied exhaustively by the Muslims in Bangladesh and India, Every time a miscreant from the Muslim community is caught in a hate crime, a band of Muslims come to his rescue, flashing the “mentally unstable” card.
At times, the police of the Islamic nation play along. On October 21, Shah Alam entered the Durga Puja pavilion of Sri Sri Rakshakali Temple of Hathazari in Chittagong. He was carrying a bag full of copies of the Quran. The Puja Celebration Committee members noticed his suspicious behavior, caught him, and handed him over to the police. “Around 8 PM, we detained him for questioning and searched his bag. We found three copies of the Quran Sharif and some jihadist books, among other items…” said Gobinda Kantinath, General Secretary of the Puja Celebration Committee, while addressing the media. However, the police soon released Alam without any investigation, citing mental instability.
Had the Committee members not been prompt in their action, Alam’s plan could have spiraled into another disastrous anti-Hindu pogrom in Bangladesh, a replica of the 2021 Hindu genocide that was triggered by the placing of a Quran copy at a Durga Puja pavilion by a Muslim man. Swarms of Muslims took down several Hindu temples, killed Hindu devotees, raided Hindu colonies, and looted Hindu homes and businesses to avenge the alleged blasphemy. Later it was discovered that the Quran copy was placed inside the Hindu premises by Iqbal Hossain. After this revelation, his family tried to convince the authorities that Iqbal, whose conspiracy resulted in the massive anti-HIndu riots, was mentally unstable (after due investigations, Comilla CID clarified that he was not mentally unstable).
Crimes against the Hindus are now an added ritual of Durga Pujas in Bangladesh. Their yearly celebrations, the most significant festivals of all, bring more terror than joy to them, and the world continues to see nothing wrong in this bloodshed. Leaders speaking on global platforms demand no reforms and seek no respite for the Hindus. The Muslims continue to be the eternal victims, even when they initiate violence and bloodshed.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
The problem is India, which has just given $500 million to Bangladesh for goodness knows what…. Without demanding that Bangladesh protect its Hindu citizens & treat them fairly
India desperately needs a government that recognizes that Bangladesh is a disguised jihad state, and acts accordingly!
RG says
I didn’t know India funded Bangladesh.Thanks for sharing that information.
Unknown guy says
India is funding Bangladesh so that they don’t become a client state of china like srilanka and myanmar have become, I understand that India should have raised concern about the attack on hindu community. But do you really think Bangladesh will care about that when they can do the same against India for its treatment of its Muslim population.
If India wants to protect the minority population of Pakistan, Bangladesh, afghanistan they should immediately implement caa. But unfortunately, this govt only thinks about winning elections and always try to seek approval from western liberal media and academia.
Chuck says
Muslims are not persecution in india
࿗Infidel࿘ says
That’s pretty stupid. Even if China funds Bangladesh, India can fortify its North-East & force China to go through Burma if it wants to have a line of communications w/ Bangladesh. Also, they need to deport Bangladeshis & Rohingyas in India, & seal up that border. But as you point out, the BJP is now totally sold out on the idea of trying to win muslim votes, or at least secular Hindu votes
India needs a new government about as badly as the US does
Westman says
If it wasn’t for claiming, “mental instability”, Jihadists would be left with, “Look what you made me do!”
Gurek says
Is there any way for the Hindus in Bangladesh to flee to India? India can protect these people from jihadis. India offered non-Muslims a refuge a few years ago. What is baring them from entering India? Sadly, this oppression will continue because there is no future for non-Muslims in islamic countries.
RG says
Excellent points. Maybe India’s scared of the backlash they’ll get from the usual suspects ( media, Democrats,global organizations like the UN, Tony Perkins, ) like they did a few years ago?
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Problem is that too many Bangladeshi Hindus, after coming to India, become secular and back Leftist parties. Which does them no good, and is no reason for giving them refuge
Also, India has stalled on the CAA – the law that was supposed to help non-muslims from the neighborhood who wanted to settle in India
Violet says
China re-ed camps? 2009 Uyghurs did the usual Msl sheeet. Gangs & riots & 200 ppl were killed. The Chinese gov basically said, ‘not in my country’
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Maybe India could set that up in completely muslim islands of Lakshwadeep, move all jihadists, Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingyas there, & then do these things