ISKCON Temple Latest Victim Of Bangladesh Unrest, Netherlands MP Calls Violence Against Hindus 'Horrific'
Amid the unrest in Bangladesh following PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation, a series of attacks have taken place on Hindu temples across the country in the last 24 hours.
Bangladesh Protests: As unrest continues in Bangladesh following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, an ISKCON temple in Meherpur, located in the Khulna division, was vandalised and set on fire.
The latest incident is a part of the series of attacks on Hindu temples across Bangladesh in the last 24 hours. The visuals of the attack surfaced on social media. ABP News does not confirm the veracity of the videos.
মেহেরপুর ইসকন মন্দিরে দুর্বৃত্তরা ভাঙচুর ও আগুন লাগিয়ে দিয়েছে সব কিছু পুড়ে ছায় হয়েছে আমি এবং আমাদের মন্দিরে ভক্তদের উপর হামলা করে সবাই আমাদের পাশে দ্বারান।। মুগ্ধ ভাই! জল লাগবে। তবে মন্দিরে আর সংখ্যালঘুদের বাড়িঘরে 😭😭
Posted by Sumohan Mukunda Das on Monday, August 5, 2024
The attack was confirmed by ISKCON spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das. "As per the info I have received, one of our ISKCON centres (rented) in Meherpur was burnt including with the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi," he was quoted by India Today as saying.
President of ISKCON Pundarik Dham in Chittagong Chinmoy Krishnan Das has expressed serious concerns pertaining to the safety of Hindu temples in the wake of the attacks on Hindu temples.
Speaking to India Today/Aaj Tak, he said, "Three temples in Chittagong are under threat, but the Hindu community, along with some members of the Muslim community, have protected them so far". He also said that requests for help from the police and Rapid Action Battalion in Chittagong have gone unanswered, with security forces reportedly fleeing the area in civilian clothes.
"Many Hindus and other minorities are feeling unsafe and are fleeing to India through West Bengal and Tripura," Das further stated.
Violence Against Hindus In Bangladesh Is Horrific: Netherlands MP
Netherlands MP Geert Wilders has termed the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh "horrific" and said, "this must be stopped immediately!".
In a post on X, Wilders said, "The violence against Hindus in Bangladesh is horrific. They are being killed and their houses and temples burnt by barbaric Islamic mobs. This must be stopped immediately!".
The violence against Hindus in Bangladesh is horrific. They are being killed and their houses and temples burnt by barbaric Islamic mobs. This must be stopped immediately! #BangladeshViolence #BangladeshCrisis #Hindus #HindusUnderAttack #hindulifematters #Hindu
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) August 6, 2024
Hindu Temples Vandalised In Bangladesh
An Indian cultural centre was vandalised by an unruly mob in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka and four Hindu temples suffered "minor" damages across the country on Monday, eyewitnesses and a community leader said.
Kajol Debnath, Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council leader, said he has received reports that at least 4 Hindu temples were damaged across the country, as reported by news agency PTI. "These are minor damages," he said.
However, some Hindu community leaders are afraid in the wake of the tense situation after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster. According to PTI, the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre located in Dhaka's Dhanmondi area was damaged by the unruly mob, according to eyewitnesses.
Protesters Set Fire To Key Locations In Dhaka
The protesters also set fire to several key locations in Dhaka, including Bangabandhu Bhaban, also known as the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, at Dhanmondi 32, PTI reported, citing the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.
The museum was dedicated to Hasina's father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was assassinated while serving as president in 1975.
The development comes as a massive protest forced Prime Minister Hasina to resign and leave Bangladesh. Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman announced that an interim government was being formed and urged protesters to end the violence.
The Centre, formally inaugurated in March 2010, promotes bilateral cultural linkages between India and Bangladesh by organising cultural programmes, cultural seminars, workshops and engaging India based Gurus professionals and trainers for Yoga, Hindi, Indian classical Vocal Music and Indian Dances such as Kathak and Manipuri.
It also engages high class professionals from Bangladesh who had their training from Indian Gurus or in Indian Universities. The Centre, a Cultural Centre of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations of India, has a library with over 21,000 books in the fields of Indian art, culture, politics, economics and fiction.
VHP Urges Govt To Ensure Safety Of Hindus, Other Minorities
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday urged the government to take "every possible" step to ensure the safety of Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities in Bangladesh, claiming that "fundamentalists" are targeting them in several districts of the neighbouring country.
Addressing a press conference, VHP president Alok Kumar called for strict security vigil on the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying that attempts could be made to "orchestrate infiltration" into the Indian territory taking advantage of the prevailing situation in the neighbouring country.
He also asked the world community to take "effective action" for the safety of minorities and protection of human rights in Bangladesh which he said is "trapped in a strange uncertainty, violence and anarchy".
"In the recent past, religious places, business establishments and houses of Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities have also been rampaged in Bangladesh. Till last night, 22 houses in Panchgarh district alone, 20 houses in Jhenaidah and 22 shops in Jessore became targets of the fundamentalists and in many districts even crematoriums were vandalised," he said.
There is "hardly" any district left in Bangladesh which has not become a target of their "violence and terror", he added.
"In Bangladesh, the houses, shops, offices, business establishments of Hindus and women, children and even the centres of their belief, faith and worship such as temples and gurudwaras are not safe. It can be said that the condition of the oppressed minorities there is going from bad to worse," Kumar said.
He claimed that a lot of damage has been done to ISKCON temple in the neighbouring country.
"The Vishva Hindu Parishad urges the government of Bharat to take every possible step for the safety of minorities in Bangladesh," he said, adding, "It is appropriate to point out that Hindus, who were once 32 per cent in Bangladesh, are now less than 8 per cent and they too are victims of continuous jihadi persecution." Kumar said it is possible that taking advantage of the prevailing situation, a "big attempt" may be made to orchestrate infiltration into the Indian territory through the 4,096-kilometre-long Indo-Bangladesh border.
"We have to be extremely cautious about this. Therefore, it is necessary for our security forces to keep strict 24x7 vigil on the borders and not allow any kind of infiltration," he added.
The VHP president said after the resignation of the Hasina government and her leaving the country, the process of formation of interim government in the neighbouring country is underway.
"In this hour of crisis, Bharat stands firmly with the entire society of Bangladesh as a friend. We wish that democracy and a secular government be re-established in Bangladesh as soon as possible. The society and government of Bharat will continue to support Bangladesh in this matter," he added.
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