35 Durga Puja related incidents in Bangladesh since October 1, 17 arrested world news

The minority Hindu population – Hindus make up just 8% of Bangladesh's 170 million people – saw their businesses and properties vandalized and temples destroyed during the student-led violence that began after the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. August 15th.

Since October 1, 35 incidents related to the ongoing Durga Puja celebrations have occurred across the country, resulting in the registration of 11 cases, 24 General Gazette (GD) entries and 17 arrests, cited Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md , from Dhaka Tribune. Mainul Islam as saying.

Islam told reporters after visiting Dhaka's Banani Puja Mandap on Friday that Durga Puja is being celebrated in more than 32,000 mandaps across the country.

The IGP's visit was prompted after Hindus in Bangladesh woke up in shock on Friday when news emerged of the theft of a handmade gold crown (crown) from the Jashoreswari Kali temple in Satkhira on Thursday during his visit to Bangladesh in 2021.

The incident prompted the Indian High Commission to request the Bangladeshi government to investigate the theft and take action against the perpetrators as well as restore the crown.

IGP Islam assured that the records of those responsible for the incident are with the police and said: Those involved in these obstacles will be brought to justice. We will take strict action if anyone tries to create disorder or engage in immoral activities during Durga Puja.

In response to a question on the attack in Chittagong, the IGP said two people were arrested in a raid on Thursday and efforts are on to find out the motive behind it.

On Thursday morning, half a dozen people sang a song calling for Islamic revolution on the stage of a Durga Puja mandap at Jatra Mohan Sen Hall in Chittagong, about 250 km southeast of Dhaka, sparking widespread outrage, bdnews24 reported. with.

The Business Standard newspaper reported that the Chittagong Metropolitan Police arrested two people on Friday for allegedly singing the song calling for Islamic revolution.

In this incident, a case was filed against Chittagong Puja Committee joint general secretary Sajal Dutta and seven others.

Hillol Sen Ujjal, general secretary of Chittagong Puja Udjakar Parishad, told Daily Star that the incident shocked the local Hindu community and created a tense situation in the area.

A video clip of the incident went viral on social media, sparking even more outrage.

On Friday, Bangladeshi police said they had identified a person involved in the theft of the golden crown and launched a massive operation to recover it.

A private news channel showed a young man in a white T-shirt and jeans sneaking into the temple when no one was there, pocketing the golden part of the crown before removing it.

It could be a simple case of robbery or it could be a case of orchestrated conspiracy. Krishna Mukherjee, leader of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, said: We demand a proper investigation into the matter and bring those involved to justice.

Meanwhile, state news agency Bangladesh News Agency (BASS) reported that the heads of the three forces – Army Chief General Waqer-uz-Jamaa, Navy Chief Admiral M Nazmul Hasan and Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan – Friday visited the Ramana Kali temple in Dhaka.

Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan exchanged greetings with members of the Hindu community at Durga Puja Mandap in Gallamari Harichand Tagore Temple and Bagmara Govind Temple in Khulna on Friday.

On Sunday, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus is expected to visit the century-old Dhakeshwari National Temple, a prominent Shaktapeeth, in the heart of the national capital.

Early last month, with threats from Islamic groups weeks before Durga Puja celebrations, the interim government's religious affairs advisor, AFM Khalid Hussain, warned of strict action against those who disrupt communal harmony or attack places of worship during the Hindu festival.