Bangladesh: Police Registers Complaints After Protests By Hindu Community Over Desecration Of Three Temples

Police have registered complaints over desecration of three temples in Bangladesh as the members of the minority Hindu community staged protests demanding the arrest of culprits behind the incident in Lalmonirhat district, bordering India.

The protests began after raw beef packed in polythene bags were hung on the doors of three Hindu temples and a house in Gendukuri village of Lalmonirhat district's Hatibandha upazila in the early hours of Friday, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

Four complaints were filed with Hatibandha Police Station Friday night over the matter, the paper added.

On Saturday, the local Hindu community members staged protests at the Sri Sri Radha Govinda temple in the village, demanding the arrest of culprits involved in the incident.

Dilip Kumar Singh, president of Hatibandha Upazila Puja Udjapan Parishad, said raw beef in polythene bags were hung over the doors of Gendukuri Camp Para Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir, Gendukuri Kuthipara Kali Mandir, Gendukuri Battala Kali Mandir and Monindranath Barman's house.

He said the locals informed the police, who then visited the spot.

'Police have assured us that the culprits will be arrested,' he said, adding that the incident could be linked to the local union parishad polls held on December 26.

Ershadul Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Hatibandha Police Station, told PTI over phone that they were investigating the incident.

He said that additional police force has been deployed in the area. A manhunt has been launched to track down the “miscreants”, he added.

'All involved will be brought to book,' he said.

Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council leader Kajal Debnath said that incidents like this were reported previously from elsewhere in the country as well and the perpetrators of such heinous acts are definitely led by a notorious mind to hurt “our faith and feeling.' He called these elements to be “actual minorities” in Bangladesh, referring to the communal elements of 1971 who opposed Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan.

In October, Hindu temples were attacked in Bangladesh after an alleged blasphemous post surfaced on social media during the Durga Puja celebrations. A mob also damaged dozens of houses and set on fire at least 20 homes of Hindus following the incident.

(Inputs From PTI)