Lord Ram's image struck with shoes and sandals by Muslims opposing Ram idol construction in Bangladesh
Gaibandha District, Bangladesh 
12 June, 2026
Case Summary
Amid the escalating campaign against the construction of a Lord Ram idol in Palashbari Upazila of Bangladesh's Gaibandha district, videos surfaced on social media showing Muslim men publicly desecrating images of Lord Ram. In the footage, a Muslim mob could be seen striking the image of Lord Ram with shoes and sandals in full public view and shouting 'maro, maro'. Almost immediately after insulting and tearing down the banner, the entire mob clapped in unison to celebrate the desecration. The acts were carried out openly and deliberately to demonstrate contempt for the Hindu deity and the religious project associated with him. The videos circulated widely on social media and generated concern among members of the Hindu community. The incident occurred against the backdrop of sustained opposition to the construction of a large Ram idol at the Sanatan Complex, a Hindu religious project centred around the historic Sri Sri Radhagobinda and Kali Temple in Komorpur village under Hosenpur Union. For several weeks, the proposed idol had been the subject of intense hostility from Islamist groups, radical preachers, and sections of the local Muslim population. Social media platforms were flooded with posts objecting to the construction of the idol, portraying it as a symbol of "Hindutva" and urging resistance to the project. Some individuals openly called for the idol to be demolished, while others sought to mobilise public opposition by linking the temple project to broader religious and political grievances. Among the messages circulated online were calls for resistance against the construction of the idol and attempts to frame the temple project as a communal provocation. Some posts invoked the Babri Masjid issue and sought to generate resentment towards the Hindu community by linking the local temple project to broader political and religious narratives. While some provoked Muslims to urinate on the idol of Lord Ram. The hostility escalated when a radical Islamic preacher associated with the Islamic organisation- Insaf Kayemkari Chhatra Sramik Janata, issued open threats. In a widely circulated speech, he called for the demolition of the idol and declared that if the authorities failed to act, ordinary Muslims should take it upon themselves to destroy it. He further instigated his Muslim brethren by claiming that the temple itself should be demolished. The same preacher also made inflammatory remarks against India and Lord Ram, declaring that "Ram Rajya" would be crushed. He went on to call for a coordinated Muslim offensive against India. His comments drew widespread concern due to their openly extremist nature and because they were made against the backdrop of an increasingly hostile environment for minority Hindus in Bangladesh. Following these open threats, Muslims in large numbers started taking to the streets in protest against the construction of the Lord Ram idol. Muslim men were seen carrying placards and banners opposing the project, with some posters explicitly stating that if Hindus wanted a Ram idol, they should "go back to India."
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This incident has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Therefore, any desecration of these Hindu religious symbols and representations is considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The other category selected is- Hate speech against Hindus. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. This case has been added to the tracker because it involved the deliberate public desecration of a revered Hindu deity during an organised campaign against a Hindu religious project. The act was not accidental, spontaneous, or directed at a political symbol. It specifically targeted Lord Ram, one of the most sacred figures in Hinduism, and was carried out with the intention to insult and humiliate Hindu beliefs. Videos showed a Muslim mob striking the image of Lord Ram with shoes and sandals while shouting slogans. After tearing down and insulting the banner, the crowd clapped and celebrated together. This is significant because the objective was clearly to publicly mock and dishonour a Hindu deity. Equally significant was the Muslim crowd's reaction after the desecration. They applauded, cheered, and celebrated after insulting Lord Ram's image. This collective celebration demonstrates that the desecration itself was the objective. The crowd viewed the public humiliation of a Hindu deity as an achievement worthy of approval and encouragement. This leaves little doubt that the act was motivated by hostility towards Hindu beliefs rather than any other grievance. The incident also occurred against the backdrop of an organised campaign against the construction of a Ram idol in Bangladesh. For weeks, Islamist groups, radical preachers, and sections of the local Muslim population had mobilised opposition to the project, issued threats, and encouraged public agitation against it. The desecration of Lord Ram's image formed part of this larger pattern of hostility directed at a Hindu religious symbol and a Hindu religious initiative. It is well understood that every individual has the right to practise their religious faith freely. Attempts to intimidate, humiliate, or prevent a community from expressing its religious beliefs amount to a denial of that fundamental right. In this case, the desecration of Lord Ram's image formed part of a larger effort to oppose and obstruct a Hindu religious project solely because it was Hindu in nature. Such actions are prejudicial to the rights of Hindus and stem from animosity and prejudice towards Hindu beliefs and practices. This is why the case has been categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime and added to the hate crime database of the tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
