Gazipur Hindu community to cancel Diwali celebration protesting communal violence
Devotees have decided to wear black and hold the puja rituals without idols
A vandalized Hindu temple in Gazipur’s Kahimpur bazar on Thursday, October 14, 2021 Dhaka Tribune
Raihanul Islam Akand, Gazipur
Publish : 30 Oct 2021, 11:25 PMUpdate : 23 Dec 2021, 04:37 PM
Hindu devotees in Gazipur are set to boycott the Kali Puja (Diwali) celebration on November 4 to protest the recent attacks on temples, puja venues and houses belonging to Hindu communities across the country.
On the day, devotees donning black will hold the puja rituals without idols at the local crematorium on the banks of the Turag River.
They will also refrain from Diwali festivities.
Babul Chandra Rudra, president of Radha Govinda Mandir and Kashimpur Puja Udjapan Parishad, said: “On Kali puja morning, we will all wear black and stand together in solemnity to observe 15 minutes of silence after lighting earthen lamps (pradeep) at the crematorium on the banks of the Turag River.”
Pancharat Sheel, treasurer of the same council, said: “Ever since the attack, the local Hindu devotees are terrified to hold a full-scale celebration out of fear of another spate of communal violence.
“We have not been able to overcome the dark days witnessed by the minority communities across the country during this year’s Durga puja despite the cooperation from law administration and other authorities concerned.”
Prabhas Kumar Dey, advisor to the same council, said: “Communal harmony has always existed between people of all religions and castes in the Kashimpur area. We sincerely hope that this amity between the people will carry forward into the future.”
It is crucial that the police identify the communal terrorists and bring them to justice to preserve this harmony, he added.
Communal tensions gripped Bangladesh following allegations of the Quran being desecrated at a Durga Puja pavilion in Comilla on October 13, triggering violence in several districts across the country.
At least seven people were killed in violence over the incident in different parts of the country, with hundreds of arrested in dozens of cases.
Gazipur Hindu community to cancel Diwali celebration protesting communal violence
Hindu devotees in Gazipur are set to boycott the Kali Puja (Diwali) celebration on November 4 to protest the recent attacks on temples, puja venues and houses belonging to Hindu communities across the country.
On the day, devotees donning black will hold the puja rituals without idols at the local crematorium on the banks of the Turag River.
They will also refrain from Diwali festivities.
Babul Chandra Rudra, president of Radha Govinda Mandir and Kashimpur Puja Udjapan Parishad, said: “On Kali puja morning, we will all wear black and stand together in solemnity to observe 15 minutes of silence after lighting earthen lamps (pradeep) at the crematorium on the banks of the Turag River.”
Also read - Organizers call for boycotting Kali Puja festivities
Pancharat Sheel, treasurer of the same council, said: “Ever since the attack, the local Hindu devotees are terrified to hold a full-scale celebration out of fear of another spate of communal violence.
“We have not been able to overcome the dark days witnessed by the minority communities across the country during this year’s Durga puja despite the cooperation from law administration and other authorities concerned.”
Prabhas Kumar Dey, advisor to the same council, said: “Communal harmony has always existed between people of all religions and castes in the Kashimpur area. We sincerely hope that this amity between the people will carry forward into the future.”
It is crucial that the police identify the communal terrorists and bring them to justice to preserve this harmony, he added.
Communal tensions gripped Bangladesh following allegations of the Quran being desecrated at a Durga Puja pavilion in Comilla on October 13, triggering violence in several districts across the country.
At least seven people were killed in violence over the incident in different parts of the country, with hundreds of arrested in dozens of cases.