Deliberate attack on Hindu faith: Idols of Hindu deities desecrated ahead of Durga puja celebrations in Bangladesh
Netrokona District, Bangladesh 
14 September, 2025
Case Summary
In the Netrokona district of Bangladesh, idols of Hindu deities were desecrated by unknown miscreants. The idols were kept in a temporary Durga Puja mandap at the Kandulia Kalibari. According to media reports, the incident took place between 3 a.m. on 15th September 2025 and 6 a.m. on 16th September 2025. The police and members of the Kandulia Kalibari Puja Mandap Committee stated that idol artists had been working for several days to prepare the idols for the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja, a Hindu religious festival. After completing the clay work a few days earlier, they had left, and the idols were covered with tarpaulin and cloth. On 16th September 2025, at around 7 a.m., local residents went to the site and discovered that the idol of Lord Kartikeya had its right hand bent and desecrated, the idol of Mahishasura—the demon slain by Goddess Durga—had its left hand broken, and its throat had been cut open. Members of the temple committee later informed the police, who inspected the site. The president of the temple committee, Mintu Roy, said: “Unknown miscreants committed this crime sometime between 3 a.m. on 15th September and 6 a.m. today (16th September). Now, only the painting work of the idols remained. There is anger over this issue among the local Hindu community.” Demanding justice for those responsible, Kandulia village resident Diwan Manju said: “Whoever has done this must be brought before the court of justice. Attacking temples or breaking idols is wrong. Here, we celebrate every religious festival together in harmony.” The officer‑in‑charge of Netrokona Model Police Station said that after receiving the information, the police reached the site and began an investigation into this matter. 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, 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. This case constitutes a hate crime against Hindus because the perpetrators deliberately targeted the idols of Lord Kartikeya and demon Mahishasura and desecrated them. Such actions were not random acts of vandalism but were driven by religious animosity. For Hindus, idols of Hindu deities are not mere decorations; they are sacred representations central to Hindu worship and devotion. They form an essential part of the daily religious life of Hindus and are revered with the deepest respect. In this instance, the desecration of the idols was carried out with full knowledge of their sanctity and significance to the Hindu community. By bending and damaging the idol of Lord Kartikeya and mutilating the idol of demon Mahishasura, the perpetrators intentionally insulted and violated the religious sentiments of Hindus. The deliberate targeting of these idols demonstrated deep‑seated hostility towards Hinduism and those who follow it. Such acts of desecration are not only an attack on religious objects but also on the collective faith, dignity, and identity of the Hindu community. This makes it a clear instance of a religiously motivated crime against Hindus. The timing of this crime further exposed its malicious intent. The desecration occurred just ahead of Durga Puja, one of the most revered and widely celebrated festivals among Hindus. Durga Puja commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, symbolising the triumph of good over evil, and is observed with great devotion and preparation by millions of Hindus. By targeting and desecrating the idols of Lord Kartikeya and Mahishasura—who are part of the pantheon alongside Goddess Durga—shortly before this holy festival, the perpetrators sought to disrupt religious celebrations, inflict distress upon the Hindu community, and openly display their hostility. The timing was not coincidental but a deliberate attempt to wound Hindu religious practices and sentiments at their most sacred moment. In this case, even though the perpetrators are unknown, the act is rooted in hatred for Hinduism and the Hindu community. 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 
