Chattogram: Islamist mob attacked Hindu Temples after Friday Namaz.

Three Hindu temples in Bangladesh’s Chattogram vandalised by the Islamist mob. Another ISKCON Temple was attacked in Kishoreganj.

Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | Nov 29, 2024:: Communal Tensions escalated in Bangladesh’s Chattogram on Friday as a slogan-shouting mob vandalized three Hindu temples, further straining diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh. The attack, which occurred around 2:30 pm in Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, targeted the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the nearby Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple. Reports came in that the Islamist people started that attack on Hindus and their worship places with the slogan, “Allha ho Akbar”.

Sumon Sharma, the Secretary General, Sanatan Moitree Sangha(SMS) -Bangladesh conveyed HENB, “Islamists attacked Hindu temples and Hindu houses near Kotwali police station in Chittagong municipality in Bangladesh after Friday prayers. After the Friday Jummah prayer, they started attacking Hindu temples and houses. Although there was a police station nearby, the attack took place due to police inaction.”

“A group of several hundred slogan-shouting people threw brickbats at the temples, damaging the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples,” the news portal BDNews24.com quoted temple authorities as saying. Kotwali Police Station chief Abdul Karim confirmed the attack, saying that assailants attempted to damage the temples.

Advocate Rabindra Ghosh of Bangladesh Minority Watch informed HENB that an ISKCON temple was attacked and vandalized on November 29, 2024, at approximately 10 am in Bhairab Thana, Kishoregonj District, Bangladesh. According to Ghosh, it is clear that fanatic Muslim elements were involved in this attack on the ISKCON temple in Bhairab.

The violence was sparked by the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON priest and spokesperson of Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha under ‘false’ sedition charges. Protests have been ongoing in Bangladesh since the arrest, with hundreds of protesters throwing brickbats and causing damage to the temples.

The incident has heightened concerns over minority safety in Bangladesh, with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasizing Dhaka’s responsibility to protect minorities. Bangladesh, in turn, has requested New Delhi to ensure the security of its diplomatic missions amid rising extremist rhetoric.

According to the police, the damage to the temples was minimal following a confrontation between two groups, during which brickbats were exchanged. Tapan Das, a permanent member of the Shantineshwari Main Temple management committee, recounted the incident to (link unavailable) “A procession of hundreds of individuals arrived after the Juma prayers, chanting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans, sparking the unrest.”

Read this also: ‘Hindus in Bangladesh subjected to death…’: World leaders slam Yunus govt amid Chinmoy Krishna Das arrest.

Spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) of Bangladesh, was arrested in connection with a sedition case on Monday (25.11.2024) and denied bail on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, New Delhi expressed concern over the leader’s arrest and denial of bail, and asked Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. The week’s anti-Hindu incidents have led to a diplomatic row between the two South Asian neighbours.

India has urged the interim government in Bangladesh to protect the rights of all minorities, citing a surge in extremist rhetoric and violence against Hindus and temples. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized that Dhaka bears primary responsibility for safeguarding the life and liberty of all citizens, including minorities.

Jaishankar’s statement came as India expressed serious concern over the escalating attacks on Hindus and temples in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has expressed deep concern over violent protests at the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, urging India to ensure the safety of its diplomatic missions.

In the meantime, Bob Blackman, a Conservative Member of Parliament for Harrow East in the United Kingdom, condemned the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and expressed concern over the Bangladesh High Court’s attempt to ban ISKCON from the country.

On Thursday, in a post on X, he shared a video of his speech in Parliament and said, “Today, I condemned the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the imprisonment of Chinmoy Krishna Das. I am also concerned by the attempt in their High Court to rule that ISKCON should be banned from the country. Freedom of religion must be preserved globally.”

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_Inputs from PTI DD News & HT.

Courtesy: Jagran English.