Vegetarian Hindu hotel in Dhaka closed after Islamist extremists attack it for not serving beef.

Govinda’s Kitchen with ‘ISKCON’ tag forced to close by Islamist people  for not serving beef in an ‘Islamic’ country like Bangladesh. 

Anuprita Dhar| HENB | Dhaka | Jan 17, 2025::  A vegetarian Hindu hotel in Dhaka’s Malibagh area was forced to shut down after being vandalized by Islamist extremists. The attackers, who identified themselves as members of the “Tawheedi Janata” group, claimed that the hotel, Govinda’s Kitchen, was targeted for not serving beef.

Eyewitnesses reported that the extremists, allegedly incited by a provocative social media post, attacked the hotel’s employees, manager, and owners. Several people were injured in the violence, which occurred on January 16. The fanatic Muslim people demand serving of beef in all eateries in an ‘Islamic’ country like Bangladesh.

Despite the excuse of beef, this hotel was attacked mainly because of a provocative post spread by a Facebook ID named ‘Paradoxical Sajid’. Serial Facebook posts by ‘Paradoxical Sajid’, a radical with a significant following, is believed to have instigated the attack on Govinda’s Kitchen. The post called for a boycott of ISKCON-run vegetarian hotels, falsely claiming they were centers for spreading Hindutva ideologies. The post also urged people not to rent properties to ISKCON for use as hotels. This provocative content is thought to have fueled the violence against the hotel.
It is also alleged in the Facebook post that ISKCON eateries mix cow-urine and cow-dung  in their recipes.

The hotel’s closure has sparked widespread concern among locals, who have expressed outrage over the attack. Many have taken to social media to protest the violence and demand action from the authorities.

Govinda’s Kitchen was a popular eatery, known for its affordable vegetarian meals. The hotel’s clientele included not only Hindus but also Muslims from low-income backgrounds.

Allegedly, various provocative messages were spread to create an environment for an attack on Govinda’s Hotel, such as conspiracies being hatched in Bangladesh from Hindu hotels, Hindutva extremists having established hideouts in these hotels, and these hotels working as branches of Indian intelligence agencies.

The attack on Govinda’s Kitchen is not an isolated incident. Another hotel, Rajdhani Hotel and Restaurant, was also vandalized by extremists, who accused its Muslim owners of being “Hindu sympathizers” as the hotel never served beef since its starting.

Critics have pointed out the disturbing trend of Islamist extremism in Bangladesh, where minority communities, including Hindus, are increasingly vulnerable to attacks and intimidation.

The government’s response to the violence has been criticized as inadequate. Many have expressed concern over the lack of police presence and the administration’s failure to take action against the perpetrators.

The incident has sparked a wider debate about the rights of minority communities in Bangladesh and the need for greater protection and support from the government.

Islamic cruelties are all time high in Bangladeshi Hindus including other minorities.
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__Inputs from Agencies.