Durga temple attacked and desecrated, several Hindus attacked by Islamist mob in Feni
Feni District, Bangladesh 
4 August, 2024
Case Summary
On August 5th, Bangladesh plunged into chaos after a successful coup ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, forcing her to flee the country as an enraged mob approached her residence. In the wake of the coup, Islamists exploited the unrest to launch violent attacks on the Hindu community, leading to numerous deaths, rapes, and the destruction of Hindu homes, shops, and temples, many of which were set on fire. In Feni, the Durga Temple was attacked. In Dinajpur, the Fulthala cremation ground was forcefully occupied. Five temples including Kali Mandir in Parbatipur were vandalised. Houses of the Minority Hindus were attacked and looted in Setabganj Bochakganj and Dhalla village of Chirirbandar Thana area.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added as a religiously motivated hate crime under two prime categories of the tracker. The first is- Attack on Hindu religious symbols. Within this, the sub-category selected 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 prime category under which this case has been placed is- Attack not resulting in death. Within this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The violence that erupted in Bangladesh following the political upheaval on August 5th reflects a deeply rooted religious animosity against the Hindu minority. This wave of attacks specifically targeted Hindus for their religious identity, marking a deliberate act of hatred and intolerance towards their faith. Hindu individuals and families became vulnerable to relentless brutality, solely because of their religious beliefs. This targeted hostility extended to the destruction of their sacred spaces, including the vandalization of temples like the revered Durga Temple in Feni and the Kali Mandir in Parbatipur, signifying a direct assault on symbols of Hindu spirituality and cultural heritage, which is why this case is being categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Perpetrators not caught
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
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