Hummingbird News Desk
KOLKATA, 18 MAR: Yet in another attack, an ISKCON Radhakanta temple in Bangladesh was vandalized on Thursday evening. A large number of people reportedly carried out the attack in the temple situated at Lal Mohan Saha Street in Wari, Dhaka. The mob stormed the ISKCON temple at around 7 pm and three people were injured.
Incidentally, the Hindu festival of Holi and the Islamic festival of Shab-e-Barat fall on the same day.
Speaking about the incident, ISKCON Mayapur’s PRO, Rasik Gouranga Das said: “Today is the birth anniversary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He once spread the Bhakti movement and many people of various faiths joined together to spread love of God. In this memorable day, I am very shocked to hear this attack on our temple in Dhaka. I appeal before Bangladesh government that they would take immediate action against the perpetrators.”
ISKCON Kolkata’s VP Radharamn Das said, “Last evening when devotees were preparing for Goura Purnima celebration, a mob of 200 people entered premises of Shri Radhakanta Temple, Dhaka and attacked them, 3 of them were injured in scuffle. Fortunately, they called Police and were able to drive away miscreants.”
“These attacks are a matter of grave concern. We request the Bangladesh government to take stringent action and provide security to Hindu minorities in the country,” he added.
The Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus, an organization working for the welfare of the minority Hindu community in that country shared visuals of the attack and appealed for help.
“On the night of Shab-e-Barat, extremists are again attacking the Wari Radhakanta #ISKCON temple in Dhaka. We are requesting to all the Hindus play their role in protecting the temple,” The Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus said in a tweet. The handle also shared images of the alleged act. The organization also claimed that the police did not take any action when the extremist groups were carrying out an attack on the ISKCON temple in Dhaka.
According to a press release on the official website of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), 150 perpetrators led by one Haji Shafiullah attacked the ISKCON temple at 22 Lalmohon Saha Street of Wari Thana in Dhaka at 8 pm on March 17. “They vandalized the temple, murti, and looted money and other valuable things. At least 3 Hindu devotees were injured during this attack,” the HAF said in a release on its website.
Responding to these reports HAF Director of Human Rights Deepali Kulkarni stated:
“The week before Hindus all over the world are commemorating the 51st anniversary of those who were killed, displaced, and raped during the Bengali Hindu Genocide in Bangladesh, extremists remind us that the genocide has ramifications even today.”
This incident comes despite the Bangladesh government’s assurances on the security of the minority community.
Last year, an ISKCON temple in Noakhali city in Bangladesh was vandalised and a devotee was killed by a mob on October 16.
Communal tensions gripped Bangladesh following allegations of the Quran being dishonoured at a puja pavilion in Cumilla on October 13. The rumours triggered violence in several districts across the country.
At least four people were killed in police shootings during the attack on Puja locations in Chandpur’s Hajiganj on October 13, 2021, and in Noakhali’s Choumuhani, attacks on Hindu temples left two people dead on October 15.
Tags: #ISKCONRadhakantaTemple #Dhaka #Wari #VoiceOfBangladeshiHindus #HinduAmericanFoundation
