A gang of unidentified miscreants set fire to a temple of Durgaat Kakinain under Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat early on Wenesday.
As locals saw the temple go up in flames they rushed to douse the fire. The temple was burnt partially.
The Kaliganj upazila chairman, local administration and police visited the spot in the morning and assured the local Hindu community of taking stern action against the culprits.
Over a hundred Hindu families in the village are passing days in fear, hoping and praying that there are no further attacks after the incident.
The Temple Committee President Ranjit Kumar Mohonto said caretaker of the temple Mayna Rani Mohonto screamed for help after the temple was on fire.
“A local gang here in the village has been trying to grab the temple land for quite a long time and they might have set it ablaze to create panic,” he said adding the gang vandalised temple three years ago.
Temple Committee’s Decretary Milon Kumar Mohonto sought help from police administration saying that the gang was very powerful.
Kaliganj Upazila Chairman Mohammad Nuruzzaman assured that he would provide support to the Hindu community there.
“Perpetrators will be brought to justice as per the law of the country,” said Kaliganj UNO Golam Rabbi.
Kaiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Amiruzzaman acknowledged the fact and said they were trying to arrest those involved in the arson.