Bangladesh: One individual is detained for causing harm to Hindu idols

Bangladesh: One individual was taken into custody by Bangladeshi police on Saturday morning for damaging Hindu idols in the Shakuair neighborhood, according to authorities. Abul Khair, Officer in Charge (OC) of Haluaghat Police Station in the northern Mymensingh district, said, “We have arrested one person early today for vandalizing Hindu idols in the Shakuair area.”

Khair revealed to the media over the phone that Azharul, the accused, is a 37-year-old man. Today, he will appear in court.

“Azharul, 37, is the name of the individual who was arrested. He told the media, “Today, we will bring him before the court.

The police claim that the criminals damaged the heads of two idols at a temple that was still under construction in the Shakuair neighborhood.

Without providing any details, OC said, “Two idols that were being built at a temple in the Shakuair area had their heads broken by miscreants on Thursday night.”

In a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha on violence in Bangladesh, MoS External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that there had been 2,200 incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh as of October of this year.

“2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh were reported till 8th December 2024, and 112 cases in Pakistan were reported till October 2024,” he said.

He went on to say that the Indian government has taken “serious” notice of these instances and has informed the government of Bangladesh of its concerns.

“The government has expressed its concerns to the government of Bangladesh and has taken these instances seriously. The Government of Bangladesh must take all necessary steps to protect the safety and well-being of Hindus and other minorities, India expects,” he said.

Notably, Bangladesh is now going through a turbulent time after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown by a student-led uprising. Numerous violent episodes, including assaults on Hindus and other minorities and the destruction of Hindu temples, served as the impetus for the movement.

The situation in Bangladesh started to become worse in June 2024 when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown when students from several Dhaka institutions banded together to seek changes to the nation’s quota system for government employment.

after weeks of demonstrations and bloodshed that claimed more than 600 lives. Yunus headed an interim government when Hasina fled to India.

Following this, demonstrations throughout the globe were sparked when Chinmoy Krishna Das, another former ISKCON priest, was detained by authorities from Dhaka Airport on November 25 on a charge of sedition in Bangladesh.

Following Muhammad Yunus’s assumption of power in the interim administration, Bangladesh also reported a number of assaults against Hindus and other minorities.