Islamists destroy 4 temples, attack shops, homes of Hindus in Bangladesh

On 21 July, a mob of radical Islamists in Bangladesh attacked the Hindu community without provocation at around 9 AM in the morning

On 7 August, miscreants destroyed four temples and vandalised several shops belonging to the Hindu community in Bangladesh. The incident took place in Shiali village in Rupsha Upazila in the Khulna district of Bangladesh.

According to OpIndia, the attack took place around 5:45 PM on 7 August when miscreants ambushed people in the Hindu hamlet with locally made weapons. Four temples were desecrated and a house was ransacked.

The Muslim goons also destroyed six shops. On learning about the incident, a team of senior police officers including the superintendent of police (SP) reached the spot. Fear and tension have gripped the residents of the village. A police team has been deployed in the village.

According to the local residents and leaders of Puja Parishad, a group of women devotees, had taken out a procession at around 9 PM on 6 August from the Purba Para temple to the Shiali crematorium. They had crossed a mosque on their way, where the Imam (the leader of prayers in the mosque) objected to the procession. This led to a heated argument between the Hindu devotees and the cleric. It was decided that the matter would be taken up with the police on 7 August.

Armed miscreants attack Hindus

Later that very day, several miscreants arrived in the village with spades, sickles and carried out mass destruction. They vandalised the shops of local Hindus including Ganesh Mallick (pharmacy), Sribas Mallick (grocery), Sourabh Mallick (tea and grocery), Anirban Hira (tea shop), and his father Mazumdar. Besides, they plundered the house of a Shibpadh Dhar. The Govinda temple in his house was destroyed too.

Other temples that were desecrated include the Hari temple of Shiali Purbapara, Durga temple, and Shiali Mahasamshan temple. The Muslim mob destroyed several idols in the temple.

When the Hindus tried to intervene, the Muslims assaulted and injured them badly. Before the villagers could unite and put up a fight, the mob dispersed and the attackers fled the crime scene.

Shaktipada Basu, the president of Puja Parishad, said that the cops chased away the Hindus when they went to file a complaint at the Shiali Camp police station. Sadhan Adhikari, the chairman of Ghatbhog Union, reached the village and said that such an act of violence and vandalism never took place in the village before.

Adhikari accused the youth of nearby Chandpur village of orchestrating the attack. He confirmed that a police team comprising the SP and the additional SP reached the crime scene. He said that the union members had toured the village that became the epicentre of the attack.

Mahboob Hassan, SP (Khulna), informed that police teams had been deployed in the area and the situation in Village Shiali was under control. He said that the cops were coordinating with the local people in this matter. The police have now arrested 10 people in connection to the case.

Hindus attacked in Sheikh Hasina’s constituency on Eid

On 21 July, a mob of radical Islamists in Bangladesh attacked the Hindu community without provocation at around 9 AM in the morning. The incident took place at Kalabari Union Parakata Bazar in Kotalipara in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh. It must be mentioned that Gopalganj is the electoral constituency of Awami League supremo and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council tweeted that the attack had taken place on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. DD News reported that more than 50 people were injured during the incident, including police officials.

The Islamist mob ransacked shops and houses belonging to Hindus and had vowed to ‘sacrifice’ religious minorities on the occasion of Eid. The attack took place in the backdrop of a football match that was conducted in the Parakata village on 19 July. During the match at the Janakalyan High school ground, a quarrel broke out between two sides about the outcome of the game.

Two days later on 21 July, a heated argument broke out between 18-year-old Sajal Gain and 38-year-old Jamal Mallick. The argument soon assumed a communal turn, leading to a clash between two sides. Reportedly, the accused have been identified as Rustum Mallick, Nannu Mallick, Jasim Mollah, Faizul Mallick, and Babul Mallick (26). They vandalised shops, houses and targeted Hindu men, women, and livestock. They chanted slogans vowing to make the village free of Hindus and demanded human sacrifice on the occasion of Eid.