Dhaka, Nov 30: In a disturbing incident three Hindu temples in Chattogram, Bangladesh, were vandalised by a mob shouting slogans, amid ongoing protests and violence in the region. The attack occurred at around 2.30 P.M. on Friday in the Harish Chandra Munsef Lane area, targeting the Santaneshwar Matri Temple, the Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple.
According to reports from BDNews24.com, a group of several hundred individuals, after attending the Friday prayers, descended upon the temples, throwing brickbats and causing damage to the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples.
The temple authorities confirmed the extent of the damage, which included broken gates and other vandalised structures. Kotwali Police Station chief Abdul Karim confirmed the attack and stated that the assailants made deliberate attempts to damage the temples.
Tapan Das, a permanent member of the Santaneshwar Matri Temple management committee, recounted the harrowing events, stating that the attackers began chanting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans as they arrived in large numbers.
The violence has been brewing in Chattogram since the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), who was detained on charges of disrespecting the Bangladesh national flag.
The protests and unrest surrounding his arrest have escalated tensions in the region. Tapan Das further revealed that the temple authorities did not engage with the attackers during the assault, and instead, they called for military assistance as the situation worsened.
The Army responded promptly and helped restore order. By the time the mob arrived, the temple gates had been secured, but the damage to the structures had already been done. According to reports, the attack appeared to be unprovoked, and no significant resistance was made by the temple staff.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists.
IANS