Kali Mata temple in Netrakona district of Bangladesh desecrated and vandalised by Muslim mob

Case Summary
A Muslim mob vandalized and desecrated a Kali Mata temple in the Netrakona district of Bangladesh on the evening of December 6 2024. The attackers destroyed the temple and completely damaged the idol of Kali Mata before fleeing the scene. The temple, located in Netrakona Sadar Upazila, was left in ruins, leaving the local Hindu community in shock and distress. Local residents attempted to stop the attackers but were unable to catch them as they fled quickly. Following the attack, the community informed the authorities, and a police team from the Sadar Police Station arrived at the site to investigate. Officers spoke with the locals and initiated an official inquiry into the incident. No suspects were identified or arrested. 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. Further, the arrest of three Hindu priests has exacerbated the situation with Hindu minorities protesting across Bangladesh seeking justice.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The case is being added to the primary category "Attack on Hindu religious representations" under two sub-categories. The first sub-category 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 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. In this case, a Muslim mob desecrated a Hindu temple in Bangladesh and completely damaged the idol of Maa Kali before fleeing the scene. On August 5th 2024, Bangladesh plunged into chaos after a successful coup ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, forcing her to flee the country as an enraged mob approached her residence. In the wake of the coup, Islamists exploited the unrest to launch violent attacks on the Hindu community, leading to numerous deaths, rapes, and the destruction of Hindu homes, shops, and temples, many of which were set on fire. The ethnic cleansing of Hindus has continued since then with several men being slaughtered, women being raped, houses being burnt and temples being attacked. Hindus have been asked by pay Jiziya by Muslim mobs and asked to go back to India, a country the Muslim country views as a Hindu collectivity. Hundreds of temples have been attacked since the ethnic cleansing began. The Muslims of Bangladesh, aided by the Bangladesh administration and government. The ethnic cleansing is driven specifically by religious motivations and the notion that Hindus are inferior. Islam views Hindus and the representations of their faith as sinful and inferior, with the explicit religious aim of either converting Hindus, killing them or driving them away from Muslim areas. Temples in Hinduism is central to the faith and an attack on such representations are intended as an attack on the entire community and the faith itself.

Case Status
Complaint filed

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
male