The incident took place on Friday in Chowmuhani area where Section 144 has been imposed to keep the situation under control.
Dhaka, Bangladesh : In another attack on the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh, a mob of over 200 people allegedly attacked ISKCON temple and devotees on the occasion of Dusshera in Noakhali area on Friday. As many as 3 devotees were killed and over 30 others were injured in the violent attack.
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The incident took place on Friday in Chowmuhani area where Section 144 has been imposed to keep the situation under control.
“Those who attacked were terrorists, goons belonging to the majority community. Our 3 devotees were killed. Bangladesh govt should take action to prevent such incidents in future,” Vrajendra Nandan Das, Director-ISKCON National Communication told ANI.
One among those deceased has been identified as Shri Partha Das, 25, who was brutally killed by the mob. His body was found in a pond next to the temple.
Violence erupted after news spread on social media that the Quran was allegedly desecrated at a Durga Puja pandal near Nanuar Dighi lake in Comilla town.
The ISKCON temple issued a statement on Twitter saying the temple had suffered damage and the condition of one devotee was critical.
“ISKCON temple and devotees were violently attacked today by a mob in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Temple suffered significant damage & the condition of a devotee remains critical. We call on the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety of all Hindus and bring the perpetrators to justice,” ISKCON said in a tweet.
It is with great grief that we share the news of a ISKCON member, Partha Das, who was brutally killed yesterday by a mob of over 200 people. His body was found in a pond next to the temple.
We call on the Govt of Bangladesh for immediate action in this regard. https://t.co/BLwqGsN36h
This attack has come a few hours after Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina assured that those who attacked Hindu temples will be hunted down and punished.
Following the Friday prayers, a group of people held a meeting at the gate of Andarkilla Jummah mosque and then marched towards JM Sen Hall in a procession, according to witnesses.
On Thursday, Hindu temples had been vandalised by some unidentified miscreants during Durga Puja celebrations, killing three and injuring many others in the riot that ensued.
Reacting to the incidents, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the Bangladesh government promptly reacted to ensure that the situation was under control.
“We have seen some disturbing reports of untoward incidents involving attacks on religious gatherings in Bangladesh. We note that the government of Bangladesh has reacted promptly to ensure control of the situation, including the deployment of law enforcement machinery,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
“We also understand that the ongoing festive celebrations of Durga puja continue in Bangladesh with the support of government agencies and, of course, a large majority of the public,” he added.
6 idols vandalised in Munshiganj temple too
The perpetrators of communal violence in Bangladesh on Saturday vandalised six idols of the Daniapara Maha Shoshan Kali Mandir at Rashunia union in Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj. As per The Daily Star, the vandalism was carried out between 3 am and 4 am, confirmed Md Rashedul Islam, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Sirajdikhan Circle). “The temple had no security and only the idols were vandalised,” he said. “The main entrance lock was found broken and the tin shed was also cut and all the idols in the temple have been vandalised,” said Shuvrata Dev Nath Vanu, General Secretary of the Daniapara Mahasmashan Kali Mandir Committee, reported The Daily Star. “We are preparing to file a complaint with the police,” he said. “Such an incident had never happened before in the temple,” added Shuvrata. On Wednesday, communal violence broke out in several places in Bangladesh after news broke on social media about the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue on the bank of Nanuar Dighi. Several puja venues were vandalized in the area of Chandpur, Chittagong, Gazipur, Bandarban, Chapainawabganj and Moulvibazar. The clashes resulted in several casualties.
Bangladesh govt should take strict action, such incident should not happen in future: ISKCON Director
New Delhi [India] ISKCON National Communication Director Vrajendra Nandan Das on Saturday urged the Bangladesh government to take strict actions against the killing of ISKCON devotees, and vandalisation of the temples so that such incidents do not take place in the coming future. ISKCON Director while talking to ANI said that during the incident, disciples cried for help, they called the police, but the police did not come. “Whatever is happening in Bangladesh is wrong. One thing I want to clear is that they were neither terrorists nor goons, but they were people from the majority community. Our disciples were crying for help, even called the police but they did not come. They did arrive when all the violence, vandalism and ruckus were over,” Das said. Das said that the majority community in Bangladesh create ruckus whenever there are Hindu festivals. “They killed our two disciples on the spot; another one’s body was recovered from a pond near the temple. He was a good devotee, I saw his earlier pictures, he was a joyful devotee. They took him, killed him brutally and his body was recovered from the lake. This is really saddening,” he said. “This is not the first incident that happened in Bangladesh, incidents like this have been happening for a long time. Whenever there are Hindu festivals, the majority community in Bangladesh creates rucks,” he said. Das further said that ISKCON was celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Pramukhpad Ji and his statue was vandalised. “This incident is condemnable. In the whole world, ISKCON is promoting the Hindu community, Sanatan Dharam and Sanskaar. We are celebrating the 125th anniversary of ISKCON’s Pramukhpad Ji (Founder of ISKCON) and his statue was vandalised, how saddening thing it is. Whatever is happening, is wrong,” he said. He further advised the Bangladeshi government to take action against communal incidents that will deter perpetrators for such large-scale communal violence. “It is clear that if the Bangladeshi government would have found a solution to small scale communal incidents earlier, this big incident would not have happened today. I urge the Bangladeshi government to take action in such a way that incidents like this do not happen in the future,” Das added. On Friday, a mob allegedly attacked an ISKCON temple in Bangladesh’s Noakhali district and according to the community, one of its members was killed. “It is with great grief that we share the news of an ISKCON member, Partha Das, who was brutally killed yesterday by a mob of over 200 people. His body was found in a pond next to the temple. We call on the Govt of Bangladesh for immediate action in this regard,” the official Twitter handle of the ISKCON community said.
