Durga Puja festivities and pandal targeted by Muslim man in Narsingdi, Bangladesh
Dhaka Division, Bangladesh 
17 October, 2026
Case Summary
In Narsingdi, Dhaka Divison, Bangladesh, a Durga Puja pandal was targeted by a Muslim man named Sadikul. He was caught cutting the wires of the decorative lighting installed at the pandal for the Durga Puja celebrations. The incident took place at around 6 pm on 18 October 2026 at the puja pandal of the Shri Shri Shitala Temple in Madhabdi Municipality, Narsingdi Sadar Upazila. Sadikul, aged 19, was caught red-handed by members of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force while cutting the decorative lighting wires. He was subsequently handed over to the president of the puja pandal, following which the temple authorities took the necessary action in the matter. During the Sharadiya Durga Puja celebrations, members of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force were deployed at puja mandaps across the country to maintain security. They remained vigilant to ensure the safety of devotees, facilitate the smooth movement of visitors and prevent untoward incidents. In this case, their prompt intervention led to Sadikul's apprehension while he was cutting the decorative lighting wires. Some social media handles stated that Sadikul was attempting to cause a fire at the puja pandal by cutting the electrical wires. However, at the time of writing this report, the Hinduphobia Tracker could not independently verify this claim.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the Undecided database of the Hinduphobia Tracker, as the available details do not establish an explicit religious motivation behind the crime. In this case, a Muslim man was caught cutting the electrical wires of the decorative lighting installed at a Durga Puja pandal in Bangladesh. Durga Puja is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism, celebrating the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura and symbolising the triumph of good over evil. During the festival, Hindu devotees gather at elaborately decorated puja pandals, where the Goddess is worshipped through religious rituals, prayers and cultural celebrations. Decorative lighting forms an important part of the festive arrangements, illuminating the pandals and contributing to the celebratory atmosphere. Deliberately cutting the electrical wires at such a venue disrupts the festivities, inconveniences Hindu devotees and creates obstacles to the peaceful observance of the festival. The deliberate act of cutting the lighting wires at a Durga Puja pandal therefore raises serious questions about whether the perpetrator intended to disrupt Hindu religious celebrations out of religious hatred or animosity. These concerns must be considered against the broader backdrop of violence and persecution faced by Hindus in Bangladesh. For decades, Hindu communities have faced attacks on their homes, temples, religious idols and other places of worship. Durga Puja celebrations have repeatedly been targeted, with pandals vandalised, idols desecrated and festivities disrupted. Concerns over such violence intensified following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 5 August 2024, after which Hindu communities faced further incidents of violence, vandalism and attacks on religious sites. Against this history of hostility towards Hindus and their religious practices, the targeting of a Durga Puja pandal in Narsingdi raises serious questions about whether religious animosity played a role in the incident. However, the broader pattern of violence cannot, by itself, establish the motive behind this particular crime. At the same time, it remains equally plausible that the incident was a crime of opportunity without a religious motive. The available information does not indicate that Sadikul hurled religious slurs, expressed hostility towards Hinduism or explicitly threatened Hindu devotees. Nor does it establish that he vandalised religious idols, desecrated Hindu religious symbols or damaged other religious objects at the pandal. It is also unclear whether he intended to steal the electrical wires or had another non-religious motive for cutting them. While his actions disrupted or threatened to disrupt the arrangements for the festival, the available details do not conclusively establish that he acted out of religious hatred. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine whether the incident constituted a religiously motivated attack or a criminal act unrelated to the religious identity of those organising and attending the celebrations. The Hinduphobia Tracker follows strict parameters when classifying incidents as religiously motivated hate crimes. Although the deliberate targeting of a Durga Puja pandal raises concerns, the current case details do not establish a direct religious motive behind the perpetrator's actions. Therefore, the incident will remain in the Undecided database rather than being classified as a confirmed hate crime. If further information emerges establishing that religious animosity motivated the act, with the intention of disrupting Hindu religious celebrations, the Hinduphobia Tracker will reassess the case and consider moving it to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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