Several Hindu temples vandalised, Saraswati idol desecrated; Madarsa student caught red handed

Case Summary
Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh has plunged into chaos as Islamist extremists have taken advantage of the political turmoil to unleash a wave of terror and violence against the Hindu community. The Islamist mobs have attacked Hindu homes, burned them to the ground, and abducted women in a horrific descent into anarchy. Several temples have been destroyed in the area in a major crackdown on Hindus. Amid this, a report emerged that a Madrasa student, Bappi Hossain was moving from village to village during the night, targeting Hindu temples and desecrating murtis. He had already vandalized several murtis, including a Saraswati idol at temples in Bangladesh's Pakuria Palpara, Koligram, and Panikumra districts. He was apprehended while attempting to vandalize a Durga temple and was handed over to the Bangladeshi army. Bagha police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abu Siddiq said Bappi admitted to breaking the temple lock and vandalising the idols during interrogation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker under the prime category of- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the first 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 sub-category relevant here 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. In this case, the Muslim perpetrator vandalised several temples and desecrated the idols placed in the temples. This broader pattern of persecution reflects the systemic hostility faced by Hindus. This sort of attack specifically targeting Hindus stems from a deep-seated animosity Islamists harbour towards the Hindu faith, which is why this case has been categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.

Case Status
Arrested

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male