Miscreants vandalize Hindu temples, desecrate idols in northwestern Bangladesh

In a coordinated overnight attack on February 5, at least 14 Hindu temples in northwestern Bangladesh were vandalised. According to reports, nine idols in the Sindurpindi area of Dhantala union, four in the Collegepara area of Paria union, and 14 idols in a temple in the Sahbajpur Nathpara area of Charol union were vandalised.

Following the incident, Thakurgaon Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jahangir Hossain stated that police are attempting to identify those involved. He assured that the truth would be revealed after an investigation.

The incidents are thought to have occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning. The attack on Bangladeshi temples follows similar incidents in Australia and Canada, where the Hindu community has been distressed by repeated attacks on temples by pro-Khalistani groups.

Some of the idols were destroyed, according to Bidyanath Barman, a Hindu community leader in Baliadangi, while others were discovered in pond waters near temple sites. The miscreants' identities are still unknown, and the Hindu community is demanding justice.

The Hindu community leader and union parishad chairman Samar Chattarjee said the region was always known to be an area of excellent interfaith harmony as "no such heinous incident took place here in the past".

"The (majority) Muslim community has no beef with us (Hindus); we just don't know who the perpetrators are," he explained.

According to Thakurgaon police chief Jahangir Hossain, the incident appears to be a planned attack to disrupt the country's peaceful situation. He went on to say that a police investigation was immediately launched to find the suspects.

Miscreants are said to have broken the idols' arms, legs, and heads. Some idols were shattered and dumped into the pond.

Kashinath Singh, a Sindurpindi resident, stated, "We are in complete disarray. Those responsible for this incident should be apprehended as soon as possible."

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