Another Hindu temple in Bangladesh set on fire, raising concerns over safety of minorities, complaint filed
Another temple in Bangladesh set on fire, raising concerns over escalating violence against Hindus and religious minorities.
In a disturbing development, amid reports of escalating violence against religious minorities and their places of worship in Bangladesh, another Hindu temple was allegedly set on fire in the outskirts of Dhaka. The Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, at Dhor village, in North of Dhaka came under attack on late Friday night.
Radharaman Das, Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata, reported the incident to PTI, stating that the perpetrators targeted the idols and the temple structure, leading to significant damage. “The miscreants set fire to the idols in the Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir and caused substantial damage to the community's property. This attack is part of a continuous series of targeted assaults on members of the Vaishnavism community,” Das said.
According to Das, the fire was set between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM on late Friday night, when the attackers reportedly lifted the tin roof of the temple and used petrol or an octane-like substance to ignite the flames. The fire destroyed the idols of Lakshmi Narayan, as well as other temple belongings. The temple is located in Dhor village, part of the Turag police jurisdiction in Dhaka.
This incident follows a series of similar attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh, with Hindu temples being repeatedly targeted in recent months. ISKCON officials have voiced their growing concern over the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh, particularly after an interim government took control following the downfall of the Awami League government. Despite multiple reports of violence against minorities, local authorities have been accused of failing to take adequate steps to prevent such attacks.
The attack on the ISKCON temple has raised alarm within the Hindu community, particularly after the recent arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Chittagong in October. Das, who is also a prominent spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, was arrested on charges of sedition, sparking protests and concerns over the safety of Hindu leaders in the country.
Babul Ghosh, the supervisor of another Hindu temple in Dhor village, recounted a similar incident where attackers attempted to burn down the Shri Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, a temple managed by his family. Ghosh explained how the attackers poured petrol on the idols and set them on fire while he and his family were away. When they returned home, the community worked together to douse the flames and prevent further damage.
ISKCON leaders have called on Bangladesh's interim government to take stronger actions to safeguard religious minorities and prevent the increasing violence targeting Hindu communities. With the threat of rising extremism, the situation in Bangladesh remains a cause of grave concern for human rights advocates and religious groups.