India on Saturday expressed "serious concern" with Bangladesh after attack on Puja mandap in Tantibazar in Shaka and the theft of a crown gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira during the ongoing Durga Puja festival. India also called on Bangladesh government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minorities.
In a statement, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the incidents and stated: "We have noted with serious concern the attack on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and the theft at the revered Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira."
"These are deplorable events. They follow a systematic pattern of desecration and damage to temples and deities that we have witnessed over several days now," he added.
On Friday night, a firebomb was thrown at the Puja mandap in Dhaka, sparking panic among the worshippers gathered there. According to media reports, no casualties were reported, but five people sustained injuries as chaos unfolded.
According to Bangladesh-based Prothomalo, the bomb was made by filling a glass bottle with petrol. Locals said that the bomb was tossed at the mandap with an aim of targeting the altar. When the volunteers caught hold of the group of youths who tossed the bomb, they retaliated by attacking them with knives.
MEA urged the Bangladesh government to take action and protect the minorities, especially Hindus, during the ongoing festivities.
"We call upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship, especially during this auspicious festival time," the statement read.
Amid the Durga Puja celebrations, a hand-crafted golden mukut (crown) was stolen from Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple in Bangladesh's Satkhira district. The crown was special as it was gifted by PM Modi during his visit to the revered temple in March 2021.
The High Commission in Dhaka is in touch with bangladeshi authorities over the crown theft. "We have seen reports of theft of the crown gifted by PM Modi to Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple (Satkhira) in 2021 during his visit to 🇧🇩 We express deep concern & urge Govt of Bangladesh to investigate theft, recover the crown & take action against the perpetrators," the High Commission of India in Bangladesh had said in a post on X.
According to reports, these acts have been described as parts of a larger trend of violence against the Hindus in Bangladesh. In 2024, there have been multiple incidents of temple vandalism with 19 of them reported in just the last two weeks.