At least 34 incidents of idol vandalism, temple attacks and other related violence have been reported at Durga Puja venues across Bangladesh ahead of the Hindu community’s biggest religious festival, the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and the Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee have said.
The two organisations called for effective measures to prevent further attacks and ensure the security of religious and ethnic minorities throughout the year.
The allegations were raised at a press conference organised by the two bodies at the Dhakeshwari National Temple complex in Dhaka on Thursday morning ahead of Sharadiya Durga Puja.
The leaders expressed hope that the festival would be celebrated peacefully and without disruption, stressing that religious festivals should unite people from all communities and reflect Bangladesh’s longstanding tradition of communal harmony.
They said they envisioned a society where Eid, Durga Puja, Christmas, Buddha Purnima and other religious and social festivals could be celebrated in a secular environment without fear or the need for police protection.
A written statement was presented at the meeting by Shubhashish Kumar Biswas (Sadhan), general secretary of the Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad General Secretary Santosh Sharma said most cases filed over attacks in the previous year had resulted in punishment, with legal proceedings initiated and charge sheets submitted.
“This year, the notable development is that a total of 34 incidents involving idol vandalism, attacks on temples and other related incidents have been reported so far,” he said.
Sharma acknowledged that negligence by some Puja committees had contributed to a few incidents. Citing an incident in Netrokona, he said security arrangements had been maintained throughout the night, but no one was on guard at dawn when the incident occurred at around 5:00am.
He also said the temple's CCTV camera was defective and therefore failed to provide surveillance.
Despite these shortcomings, the local administration had taken appropriate measures, he said, adding that arrests had been made in 11 of the 34 incidents and action had been taken in the others. Some incidents were relatively minor, he added.
“We are satisfied so far,” Sharma said.
However, he stressed the need for justice for major attacks against the Hindu community over Bangladesh’s 55-year history, citing the Ramu violence, the Nasirnagar attacks, the 2021 Comilla incident and the attacks in Sunamganj.
“Even today, we are demanding justice for all these incidents and exemplary punishment for those responsible,” he said.
Among those present were Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudeb Dhar, General Secretary Santosh Sharma, former presidents Advocate Subrata Chowdhury and Kajal Debnath, former general secretary Dr Chandranath Poddar, adviser Bires Chandra Saha, and Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee President Gopal Chandra Debnath, along with other leaders.
Minorities seek security 365 days a year
According to the written statement, incidents of idol vandalism and attacks on temples have been reported in several districts, including Sylhet, Rajbari, Panchagarh, Netrokona and Tangail, during preparations for the festival.
The statement also cited a theft at a historic Kali temple in Faridpur and attacks and looting targeting homes, shops and temples belonging to members of the Hindu community in Sunamganj.
It further reported a robbery in Naogaon involving individuals posing as intelligence agency personnel.
The organisations acknowledged that law enforcement agencies had acted promptly in several cases and arrested a number of suspects. However, they stressed that lasting protection for minorities could not depend solely on police intervention.
They called for a broader commitment to secular values and stronger social resistance to communal violence.
“Security for five days of Puja is not enough; security must be ensured for 365 days a year,” the leaders said, emphasising that building a discrimination-free Bangladesh required promoting secular values and ensuring justice for perpetrators of violence.
The written statement said the administration had assured organisers of full cooperation in holding Durga Puja celebrations nationwide. Authorities had promised adequate security, while relevant public service agencies had pledged support and assured organisers that any problems would be addressed promptly.
The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has also issued 22-point guidelines to its district- and upazila-level units to ensure the smooth organisation of the festival.
Eight-point demands reiterated
At the meeting, the organisations reiterated their eight-point demands to protect the rights and existence of religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh.
The demands include enacting a minority protection law, establishing a national minority commission and forming a dedicated ministry for minority affairs. They also called for proper implementation of the Vested Property Return Act.
The organisations urged the authorities to remove bureaucratic obstacles to the return of vested properties and restore ownership and possession of land to affected individuals within the stipulated timeframe, in accordance with tribunal verdicts.
They also demanded representation of minorities in the government, parliament and all representative bodies in proportion to their share of the population.
Other demands include enacting a law to protect debottor properties, or assets dedicated to religious institutions; passing an anti-discrimination law; and transforming the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust into a foundation.
The organisations further urged the government to issue a gazette notification declaring the three days from Ashtami to Dashami during Durga Puja as public holidays.
According to the written statement, draft bills on protecting debottor properties and eliminating discrimination had already been finalised.
