Saraswati Puja Mandap vandalised by Muslim man amidst ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh
Chittagong District, Bangladesh 
3 February, 2025
Case Summary
A Saraswati Puja mandap was vandalised by a Muslim in the early morning hours in Fatika village, under the jurisdiction of Hathazari Police Station in Chattogram district, Bangladesh. The accused entered the mandap and damaged the idol of Goddess Saraswati. Local Hindus caught him at the scene and handed him over to the authorities. This incident occurred amid ongoing unrest in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024. Since then, Islamist extremists have exploited the political instability, leading to widespread violence against the Hindu community. Mobs have attacked Hindu homes, set them on fire, and abducted women. Several temples have also been targeted and destroyed, creating fear among the minority population.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This incident is a clear example of a religiously motivated hate crime, driven by intolerance towards expressions of Hindu faith. Based on case details, it has been added under three categories of the tracker. The first is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the first sub-category selected is- Violence against religious structures and centres. In Hinduism, a religious structure is also considered divine. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the religious structure itself is sacred. In this sub-category, we would document attacks against religious structures which are not consecrated temple spaces. Such religious spaces could be temporary in nature – for example – the religious spaces erected specifically for festivals like Durga Puja etc. This category would also document cases of attacks against religious centres. These spaces in their own right may not be ‘sacred’ per se, however, are often spaces where religious gurus live, religious teaching is imparted, or belong to religious institutions. Any attack against religious structures is a result of animosity towards the religion itself, which manifests itself through the religious spaces and therefore, such attacks are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. Religious centres are also manifestations of the religion, its teachings or gurus and therefore, attacks against such centres would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes. The second sub-category selected here- 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 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 ouster, Islamists 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. Over 205 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 these assaults. Amid this escalated violence against Hindus, Islamists vandalised the idol of Goddess Saraswati, the central figure of the Puja, and desecrated the mandap by throwing dirt and rubbish inside it. It is important to highlight that the Muslims involved in the vandalism were fully aware that in Hinduism, idols serve as physical representations of deities, helping devotees focus their prayers, meditations, and rituals, and act as conduits for divine presence and blessings. By targeting the idol of Goddess Saraswati, they knowingly attacked the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The purpose behind this was obviously to intimidate, harass, or provoke the Hindu worshippers. Furthermore, it was done primarily to target Hindus, making it a kind of religious harassment worthy of being listed in the tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
