Bangladesh: Idol vandalized after entering temple in Raipur at night, Muslim youth arrested.

Muslim youth caught on CCTV in Raipur, Laxmipur in Bangladesh, arrested for vandalizing Hindu temple.

Idol vandalized after entering temple in Raipur at night….

Subhroneel Basak | HENB | Dhaka | Mar 15, 2025:: A disturbing incident of idol vandalism occurred in Raipur, Laxmipur. The incident took place on Thursday (March 13) night at the Sri Sri Mahamaya temple in the Murihata area of ​​the upazila town.

Temple committee general secretary Bishwanath Saha said that the priest left after completing the puja rituals on Thursday evening. Later, when he returned at night, he saw the idol broken inside the temple and informed the local Hindu community. After receiving the news, they came and found the idol broken. The temple’s CCTV footage shows that a young man with a cloth covering his face entered the temple and broke the idol and left the place. A case has been started at the police station in this incident.

In the wake of the incident, Bangladesh Jubo Oikya Parishad president and District Puja Udjavan Parishad general secretary Shimul Saha demanded that those involved in the idol vandalism be identified within 24 hours and brought to justice.

Raipur police station OC Nizam Uddin Bhuiyan said that after the idol vandalism incident, a drive was conducted and the accused youth was arrested. The police have started an investigation to find out the purpose of breaking the idols.

Police have arrested a youth named Zakir Hossain (26) in connection with the incident of vandalizing an idol by entering a temple in Raipur, Laxmipur. The youth Zakir Hossain was arrested from Charmohona village on Friday (March 14) evening. Zakir Hossain is the son of Monir Ahmed, a daily wage laborer from ward no. 9 of Charmohona UP.

The police interrogated the arrested youth and he confessed to vandalizing the idol. When he was sent to court on Saturday (March 15) morning, the judge sent him to jail custody.

Attacks on Hindu temples and minority Hindus in Bangladesh have escalated alarmingly under the interim government regime. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council reports over 2,000 attacks on Hindus since August 4, highlighting the government’s struggles to maintain order.

These attacks flagrantly violate human rights parameters, prompting concerns from UN human rights officials and other rights groups. The situation underscores the vulnerability of minority Hindus in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.

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__Agency Inputs.