Seven idols vandalised at historic Tangail temple days before Durga Puja
Unidentified miscreants damaged seven partly finished idols at a temple in Mirzapur, Tangail, Bangladesh, and police have begun an investigation.
Seven idols were vandalised at a historic temple in the Jamurki Paschimpara area of Mirzapur, in Bangladesh's Tangail district, just before Durga Puja. The incident has spread fear and anger among the local Hindu community and raised questions about the security of places of worship.
The Jamurki Arya Samiti has been organising Durga Puja at the temple without a break for about 85 years. Preparations were in full swing this year too. Seven idols, including the main one of Goddess Durga, were nearly ready, with only the final painting left. Between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, unidentified miscreants entered the temple and partly damaged the idols under construction.
Prakash Bakli, president of the Jamurki Arya Samiti, said: "We were supervising the work at the temple till 10 pm on Wednesday and then went home. When we returned on Thursday morning, we found the idols broken." He said it was not yet known who had done it and that a formal complaint had been lodged with the police. Local organisers have demanded that the culprits be arrested at the earliest and given stern punishment.
On receiving the news, Tangail Assistant Superintendent of Police Adnan Mustafiz reached the spot and took stock of the situation. He said some idols had been partly damaged and a thorough investigation had begun. He assured that the culprits would be identified and strict action taken against them. Security has been tightened at the temple premises to prevent any further untoward incident.
This is not the first attack on temples in Bangladesh. Last month, an idol of Goddess Kali and valuables were stolen from the Uttar Kalibari temple in Faridpur town. About 7 to 8 tolas of gold jewellery, brass idols of Lord Vishnu, Radha-Krishna and Goddess Manasa, and a silver snake offered on a Shivling were taken in that theft. The continuing incidents have heated up the issue of the safety of Hindu minorities.
Amid these incidents, politics in Bangladesh is also heated. The Awami League has reacted sharply, comparing the country's present situation with the period of the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance government between 2001 and 2006. The party alleges that the violence against minorities seen then is happening again. According to the Awami League, there are attacks on temples, arson in homes, seizure of land and attempts to force Hindus to leave the country. Bangladesh's Hindu community is deeply worried and is demanding firm and lasting security arrangements from the administration.
