Bangladesh Crisis: ISKCON Temple Vandalised; Deities’ Idols Burnt
Dhaka: Amid the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, several Hindu temples have been targeted and vandalized across the country in the last 24 hours. An ISKCON temple in Meherpur, located in the Khulna division, has been vandalized and set on fire. The unrest has intensified after the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Confirming the incident, ISKCON spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das, stated that one of the ISKCON temples was vandalised and burnt.
“As per the info I have received, one of our ISKCON centers (rented) in Meherpur was burnt including with the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi. Three devotees who lived in the center somehow managed to escape & survived (sic),” Govinda said.
Ever since Hasina’s departure from power, the situation for religious minority factions in Bangladesh has grown increasingly shaky, with Hindu temples being the unfortunate focus amidst the ongoing chaos. Chinmoy Krishnan Das, the head of ISKCON Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, has conveyed deep-rooted concerns regarding the safety of Hindu temples in the aftermath of such events.
“Three temples in Chittagong are under threat, but the Hindu community, along with some members of the Muslim community, have protected them so far,” Aaj Tak/India Today quoted Das as saying.
The ISKCON spokesperson claimed that the authorities requested help from police and Rapid Action Battalion in Chittagong but it went unanswered.
“Many Hindus and other minorities are feeling unsafe and are fleeing to India through West Bengal and Tripura,” Das added.
While he has mentioned that the military is in the process of tackling the situation, he has also made a plea to all the political factions in Bangladesh to step in and reestablish tranquility.
Bangladesh Crisis: Temples Under Attack
Kajol Debnath, a leader of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, shared info with PTI news agency saying that a group of vandals targeted and mildly damaged four Hindu temples on Monday. More than religious places, the uproar also saw some individuals wreaking havoc at an Indian cultural center in Dhaka – The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre that stands as a strong symbol of India-Bangladesh cultural bridge.
The protesters didn’t stop there. They took to the streets of the capital, setting suggested prominent spots ablaze. One such spot was Bangabandhu Bhaban, the private house of the nation’s founding father and ex-President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father to Sheikh Hasina.
What began as a movement demanding the removal of the civil service quota system gradually shifted focus, demanding Sheikh Hasina’s resignation after raging collisions amongst the protestors and her Awami League party sympathizers claimed many lives. Feeling the pressure, Sheikh Hasina quietly stepped down and left Bangladesh on Monday. To ensure stability and peace, General Waqar-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh’s army chief, announced an interim government and pleaded with the agitators to halt the violence.
