Idols vandalized at Kushtia temple in Bangladesh ahead of Durga Puja
Miscreants vandalized idols at a Hindu temple in Bangladesh ahead of the Durga Puja festival, underscoring rising anti-Hindu violence under Muhammad Yunus’ interim government. Local media reported that the attack took place Sunday night at the Shwarupdah Palpara Sri Sri Rakhha Kali Temple in Kushtia district’s Mirpur upazila. Vandals smashed the heads and hands of the idols of Kartik and Saraswati and stole a security camera along with its memory card. “At the time of the incident, there was no electricity in the area, and it was raining lightly. Taking advantage of the situation, the idols were vandalized,” said temple committee president Amaresh Ghosh, quoted by The Business Standard. He said the temple, a temporary tin-shed structure, is usually guarded but was vulnerable during load-shedding. “For the past three years, we have been organizing Durga Puja here. This incident has left us in fear,” added Badal Kumar Dey, the temple’s former secretary. Mominul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station, confirmed the attack and said a report would follow after investigation. The Kushtia vandalism is the latest in a series of assaults on Hindu temples and minorities since Yunus assumed office in August 2024, following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government. Critics say the interim administration has allowed radical Islamic groups to operate freely, fueling violence and lawlessness. The incident comes amid controversy over recent remarks by Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the government’s home affairs adviser, who reportedly described Hindu rituals as “gatherings of liquor and drugs.” The Awami League condemned the comments, calling them “deeply disrespectful” and accusing Chowdhury of inciting religious hatred. “The home affairs adviser of the illegitimate Yunus government has shattered the spirit of Bangladesh’s Liberation War,” the party said in a statement. Durga Puja, the largest religious festival for Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, is set to begin next month. Community leaders warn that growing hostility and repeated attacks have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity ahead of the celebrations.
