Hindu temple idol vandalised by Muslim man amidst ongoing Hindu persecution in Bangladesh
Rangpur District, Bangladesh 
8 June, 2025
Case Summary
A Hindu temple idol of the goddess Kali was vandalised by a Muslim man in the Rangpur district of Bangladesh. According to reports, the incident took place in Mayapur village, under the jurisdiction of Mithapukur Police Station in Rangpur district. A Muslim man entered a Kali temple in the village and vandalised the idol of the goddess. After committing the act, the accused attempted to flee. At that moment, the local Hindu villagers apprehended him and tied him to a pole in the locality. Following this, the Hindu villagers informed the police about the incident. A video of this incident was shared by the media and quickly went viral on social media. This video sparked outrage among Hindus on social media. This case serves as a stark reminder of the continued persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, which has only increased manifold since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024. After her violent ouster, Bangladesh 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 various parts of the Islamic country in a major crackdown on Hindus. Reports have exposed how Muslim students forced around 60 Hindu teachers, professors, and government officials to resign. Exiled Bangladeshi activist Asad Noor has also revealed that the minority Hindu community is now being coerced into joining ‘Jamaat-e-Islami’. Hindu religious events have been repeatedly targeted. On 6th September, a procession carrying Lord Ganesha’s idol was attacked in Chittagong. Ahead of Durga Puja, multiple incidents of idol vandalism occurred, including attacks in Mymensingh, Pabna, Rajshahi, Kishoreganj, and Dhaka. On 29th November, a violent Muslim mob attacked three temples in Patharghata, Chittagong, immediately after Jumma Namaz. The crackdown on Hindu voices has also escalated. On 30th November, Hindu journalist Munni Saha was arrested in Dhaka. Muslim mob attacks have increased in Bangladesh, for example, on 22nd May 2025, a Muslim mob carried out arson attacks selectively on Hindu homes in Dahar Mashihati village in Abhaynagar upazila in Jessore district of Bangladesh. Even ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu and his aides have been targeted, and attempts have been made to ban ISKCON and suppress Hindu protests through sedition charges. These arbitrary actions point to a systematic pattern of persecution under Muhammad Yunus’s interim government.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category, which is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, 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. The removal of Sheikh Hasina from power in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, escalated the persecution and marginalisation of the Hindu minority in the predominantly Islamic nation, intensifying what can be described as a silent genocide. Since her exile, Muslim radicals have carried out unchecked atrocities against Hindus, including physical violence, the destruction of temples and religious symbols, and the systematic displacement of Hindus from their ancestral lands. Hundreds of attacks on Hindu temples, shops, and businesses have been recorded following Sheikh Hasina's removal as Prime Minister. Many Hindus have been brutally murdered or injured in Muslim mob attacks. Amidst this, reports emerged of a Muslim man vandalising the Hindu temple idol of goddess Kali in Mayapur village of the Rangpur district. This case demonstrates an attack on a Hindu temple, an institution that holds immense spiritual importance in Hindu tradition. Temples are not merely physical structures; they are sanctified spaces believed to embody the divine presence of the respected deity. Similarly, an idol of a Hindu deity is not just an artistic representation but is also a deeply revered manifestation of the divine. Any sort of attack on idols of Hindu deities is seen as a direct affront to the religious sentiments of Hindus and an act of profound disrespect. This incident involves the deliberate desecration of Hindu religious symbols like the idol of the goddess Kali. The Muslim perpetrator deliberately vandalised the temple idol despite knowing that it holds a sacred importance for the practice of Hindu rituals and prayers. Such an act reflects a profound disregard for the Hindu faith and its practices, stemming from deep-seated religious animosity and disdain towards Hinduism; therefore, it is being included in the hate crime database.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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