After the attack on Durga Pandals in Bangladesh, the minority Hindu community and their main religious place were once again targeted on Friday. The mob attacked and vandalized the ISKCON temple in Noakhali last day. The attackers did not stop here, but they also set fire to the premises.
At the same time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has warned about these incidents that the attackers involved in Hindu temples and Durga pandals will not be spared.
ISKCON has shared the pictures of the incident by tweeting. ISKCON said that, “The violent mob attacked the devotees as well as caused a lot of damage to the temple. Apart from this, many devotees have also been seriously injured in the attack.” “Our request to the government is to ensure the safety of Hindus as well as action should be taken against the culprits.”
Sheikh Hasina asked the Hindu community not to consider themselves a minority by virtually attending the Dhakeshwari National Temple on the occasion of Durga Puja. He said that, “You are a citizen of this country, you will have equal rights. You people will celebrate festivals by following religion with equal rights. I urge all of you not to consider yourself a minority.”
The vandalism of the ISKCON temple comes at a time when Durga pandals have been attacked at several places in Bangladesh this week, in which at least four people are reported to have been killed. Durga idols were vandalized in many pandals. Meanwhile, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has spoken of strict action against those who spread violence in Kamila city during Durga Puja. He said that those who perpetrated this violence would be traced and severely punished.
Some unidentified Muslim miscreants damaged some Hindu temples during Durga Puja celebrations in Bangladesh, forcing the government to deploy paramilitary forces in 22 districts. Authorities have banned rallies in Hajiganj, where authorities have confirmed four people were shot dead. About 10 percent of the population of 169 million in Muslim-majority Bangladesh is Hindu. There have been incidents of sporadic violence in the past few years, mostly due to rumor mongering through social media.