Sacred idol of Goddess Durga vandalised in Netrakona, Bangladesh, just days before Sharadiya Durga Puja festival
Netrokona District, Bangladesh 
1 October, 2026
Case Summary
In Netrakona, Bangladesh, a Durga idol installed for the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja festival was vandalised by unidentified miscreants at the Kashipur Shilbari Durga Temple. The temple is located in Chirang Union of Kendua Upazila. The incident took place at night, a few days before Mahalaya Amavasya, while preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja festival were underway at the temple. The vandalism of the Durga idol ahead of the festival caused fear, panic and anger among the local Hindu community. The incident also raised concerns over the security of Hindu temples and religious idols and the safe and peaceful observance of the upcoming Sharadiya Durgotsav. Local religious leaders and concerned community members demanded a swift, fair and impartial investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. They called for exemplary legal action against the perpetrators. They also called on the local administration and law enforcement agencies to take effective measures to ensure the peaceful, uninterrupted and safe celebration of Durga Puja, including round-the-clock security at temples and idols, regular surveillance and preventive measures to avert further incidents. The local Hindu community further demanded coordinated efforts by the administration, local representatives and people from all sections of society to prevent untoward incidents during religious festivals and ensure the security of Hindu places of worship. This incident occurred against the broader backdrop of the historical persecution faced by Hindus in Bangladesh. While the Hindu minority has endured discrimination, targeted violence, and religious hostility over decades, such persecution has intensified in distinct spurts during periods of political and social instability. The latest major escalation began after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, continued after the death of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi in December 2025, and resurfaced in the immediate aftermath of the 13th National Parliamentary Election in 2026. Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, multiple incidents involving attacks on Hindu homes, temples and religious institutions were documented, alongside intimidation, arson and mob violence targeting Hindu localities. The Hinduphobia Tracker recorded 336 incidents involving the Hindu minority during this period, reflecting the scale of the escalation and the continuing vulnerability of Hindus in Bangladesh. A further spurt of violence followed the death of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a Muslim political activist and student leader known for his anti-Hindu and anti-India rhetoric, in December 2025. In the aftermath, Hindu communities were subjected to retaliatory violence, with Hindu homes and properties selectively attacked and several families forced to flee. Among the victims was Dipu Chandra Das, who was lynched and whose body was subsequently set ablaze by a Muslim mob over false blasphemy allegations. The Hinduphobia Tracker documented 51 incidents of anti-Hindu violence in the period following Hadi’s death alone, further illustrating how existing hostility towards the Hindu minority intensified during moments of communal mobilisation. During the same period, posters and written material calling for the extermination of Hindus were also displayed in public spaces. Such rhetoric, when viewed alongside incidents of arson, vandalism, assault and targeted intimidation, reflected an environment in which hostility towards Hindus was not merely episodic but repeatedly resurfaced in more intense forms during periods of unrest. The most recent escalation followed the 13th National Parliamentary Election in 2026. In the immediate aftermath of the election results, Hindu families in districts including Noakhali, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Sylhet, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur faced attacks involving arson, looting, assault and vandalism of Hindu homes and temples. In several instances, Hindu properties were selectively targeted, and families were threatened with displacement. The present incident therefore occurred within a much longer history of persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, where hostility towards the community has persisted over time and intensified in repeated spurts. The latest cycle began after Sheikh Hasina's ouster. It continued through subsequent periods of political and communal upheaval, leaving the Hindu minority increasingly vulnerable to targeted violence, intimidation and religious hostility.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the tracker under the primary category: Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory selected is: Desecration of Hindu religious symbols. 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 subcategory 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. This case is an example of a religiously driven hate crime because a sacred idol of Goddess Durga, installed for the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja festival, was vandalised in Bangladesh shortly before the festival. The idol was being prepared for worship as part of an important Hindu religious observance when it was targeted. In Hinduism, idols serve as sacred representations of deities and provide devotees with a tangible focus for worship, through which they offer prayers, perform rituals and express their devotion. They are consecrated, worshipped and incorporated into the ritual life of temples and religious ceremonies. Deliberate damage to or desecration of an idol therefore constitutes an attack on a religious symbol that holds profound significance for Hindu devotees. Durga Puja is a major Hindu festival centred on the worship of Goddess Durga and involves elaborate religious observances, including the installation and ceremonial worship of specially prepared idols. The idol serves as the focal point of the puja, around which devotees perform prayers, offerings and other rituals. At the Kashipur Shilbari Durga Temple, the preparation and installation of the Durga idol was therefore an integral part of the arrangements for the forthcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja celebrations. The deliberate vandalisation of the Durga idol amounted to the desecration of a Hindu religious symbol and demonstrated hostility towards Hinduism and its religious beliefs. As a representation of Goddess Durga used for worship, the idol was held in reverence by Hindu devotees, making its deliberate vandalisation an affront to their religious sentiments. The act therefore constituted an attack on a representation of a Hindu deity and caused religious offence to the devotees who revered it. The setting further reinforced the religious character of the incident. The idol was vandalised inside the Kashipur Shilbari Durga Temple, a Hindu place of worship where devotees conduct religious ceremonies and rituals. The incident therefore occurred within a space specifically dedicated to Hindu worship, affecting not only the religious representation that was targeted but also the place where the local Hindu community practised its faith. The timing of the incident further heightened its religious significance. The vandalism took place in the dark of night a few days before Mahalaya Amavasya, while preparations for Durga Puja were underway. Mahalaya marks an important point in the Hindu religious calendar leading into Durga Puja, when devotees begin preparations and observances associated with the festival. Targeting the idol during this period created hurdles for the forthcoming religious observance and interfered with the preparations being undertaken for its worship. The incident also caused fear, panic and anger among the local Hindu community at a particularly significant time, creating insecurity around the safe observance of the festival. At the time of documentation, the identities of the perpetrators remained unknown. However, the targeting and vandalisation of a Hindu religious representation inside a temple, particularly during preparations for a major Hindu festival, demonstrated hostility towards Hindu religious practice. Therefore, the case was documented in the Hinduphobia Tracker's hate crime database. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incident dates based on when the crime occurred rather than when it was reported by the media. In this case, the media reports did not specify the exact date on which the vandalism occurred. The earliest media report was published on 2nd October 2026. Therefore, 2nd October 2026 was selected as the indicative incident date for documentation purposes only.
Case Status
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Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
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Perpetrators Gender
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