Bangladesh crisis: ISKCON temple vandalized; The idols of the gods were burnt
Dhaka: In the wake of the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, several Hindu temples have been targeted and vandalized across the country in the past 24 hours. An ISKCON temple at Meherpur in Khulna division has been vandalized and set on fire. After the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the unrest has worsened. Confirming the incident, ISKCON spokesperson Yudhishthir Govinda Das said that an ISKCON temple was vandalized and set on fire.
“According to the information I received, one of our ISKCON centers (on rent) in Meherpur was burnt along with deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Devi. Three devotees living in the center somehow managed to escape and survived (sic),” said Govinda.
Since Hasina's exit from power, the situation for religious minority groups in Bangladesh has become increasingly shaky, with Hindu temples unfortunate in the ongoing chaos. Chinmoy Krishnan Das, head of ISKCON Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, has expressed deep-rooted concern about the security of Hindu temples after such incidents.
“Three temples in Chittagong are under threat, but the Hindu community, along with some members of the Muslim community, have so far protected them,” Aaj Tak/India Today quoted Das as saying.
An ISKCON spokesperson claimed that officials requested help from the police and the Rapid Action Battalion in Chittagong but it went unanswered.
“Many Hindus and other minorities feel unsafe and are fleeing to India through West Bengal and Tripura,” Das added.
While he noted that the army was in the process of dealing with the situation, he urged all political groups in Bangladesh to step in and restore peace.
Bangladesh crisis: Attack on temples
Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council leader Kajol Debnath shared information with news agency PTI that a group of vandals targeted four Hindu temples on Monday and caused mild damage to them. Apart from religious places, the uproar saw some individuals vandalizing India's cultural center in Dhaka – the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, which stands as a strong symbol of India-Bangladesh cultural bridge.
The protesters did not stop there. They took to the streets of the capital and suggested a fire in a prominent place. One such place is Bangabandhu Bhavan, the private home of the country's founder and former president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina's father.
What began as a movement demanding the removal of the civil service quota system gradually turned into a focus, with demands for Sheikh Hasina's resignation following sharp clashes between protesters and her Awami League party sympathizers. Sensing the pressure, Sheikh Hasina quietly stepped down and left Bangladesh on Monday. To ensure stability and peace, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman announced an interim government and urged the protesters to stop violence.
