Kali idol desecrated in Bangladesh amidst rampant persecution of Hindus
Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh 
21 July, 2025
Case Summary
In Natore, located in the Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh, a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Shamshan Kali was attacked. The temple idol was vandalised by unidentified miscreants. According to media reports, the incident occurred at the Haludanga Shree Shree Mahashamshan Kali Mandir. As per the temple committee, on the evening of 21st July 2025, the Hindu priest of the temple returned home after conducting the temple rituals at 6 pm. The next morning, around 6 o'clock, the temple priest's nephew, Arpan Kumar went to the temple. He then discovered that desecration of the temple idol. When this news spread, the leaders of the temple committee and people of the local Hindu community gathered at the scene. Following this, the police were informed about the incident. On receiving the news, Lalpur Upazila Executive Officer Mehedi Hasan and officer in charge of Lalpur Police Station Mohammad Usman went to the spot and talked to the local people. Kalimandir Committee President Naresh Chandra Mandal said, "Yesterday, the Kali idol was in a good condition. This morning, my nephew Arpan Kumar came to the temple and saw that the idol had been broken." He further said, "There is an iron gate installed in the temple. The miscreants broke the statue by pulling it with something from outside. But we are not doubting anyone. The police should investigate and find out who did it." President of Lalpur Upazila Puja Udyapan Committee Dipendranath Saha said, 'We went to the spot in the morning. In the temple grounds. Since it is a crematorium, there is no guard or CCTV camera. Now the police should investigate and find out who or what caused this incident. We want justice." The police said, "After receiving the news, we reached the spot. The police are now inspecting the scene and trying to gather information. The culprits will be identified and brought to justice." 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 took 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- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected 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. 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 these assaults. Amidst this, reports emerged of a Hindu temple of the goddess Shamshan Kali being attacked and the temple idol being desecrated by unidentified individuals in Bangladesh. This incident involves the deliberate desecration of the idol of the goddess Kali. The perpetrators deliberately vandalised the temple idol despite knowing that it holds a sacred importance for the practice of Hindu rituals and prayers. In Hinduism, idols are not simply artistic representations; they are deeply revered manifestations of the divine. They form an integral part of the temple’s sanctity. Their desecration is a direct affront to the religious sentiments of Hindus and an act of profound disrespect. Such an act reflects a profound disregard for the Hindu faith and its practices, stemming from deep-seated religious animosity and disdain towards Hinduism. A temple is an institution of profound spiritual significance within the Hindu faith. For Hindus, temples are far more than mere physical structures; they are sacred spaces believed to embody the divine presence of Hindu deities. Acts of violence against such spaces are a clear example of religiously motivated hate crimes targeting Hindus and their sacred places of worship. In this case, although the perpetrators are unknown, the act stemmed from immense hatred and intolerance for Hinduism and its sacred temples; therefore, this case is being added to the hate crime database in the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
