ISKCON Radha Govinda temple attacked by Islamist in Bangladesh, Maa Saraswati idol desecrated

Case ID : 0b66e4d | Location : Faridpur District, Bangladesh | Date of Incident : Tue, 6 February, 2024

Case ID : 0b66e4d

Faridpur District, Bangladesh

6 February, 2024

ISKCON Radha Govinda temple attacked by Islamist in Bangladesh, Maa Saraswati idol desecrated

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Attack on Temples

Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Case Summary

In Bangladesh, an Islamist attacked a Hindu temple in Shobharampur, Faridpur district, on the evening of February 7. The assailant used abusive language towards the devotees and then broke a Murti of Maa Saraswati with a stick. He attempted to enter the main Radha Govinda temple but was chased and caught by devotees, who tied him to a tree. The police were informed, and the attacker was arrested. A case was filed against him.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

According to the case details, 'attack on Temples' and 'desecration of Hindu religious symbol' are the two sub-categories under the core category 'attack on Hindu religious symbols' under which this case has been listed. The first relevant sub-category in this case is, 'Attack on Temples'. In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The second sub-category relevant in this case is, 'Desecration of Hindu religious symbol'. In this case, an Islamist vandalised the temple and desecrated the idol of Maa Saraswati, holding a significant place in Hinduism as the goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and learning, placed in the temple. Such attacks on the premises of a temple and the religious symbols placed inside it aim to cause harm to the temple or its devotees demonstrating the inherent Hindumisia that radical Muslims harbour inside them. For this reason, this case qualifies for inclusion in the hate crime database.