Idol of Devi desecrated in Bangladesh: two Muslim men urinated on and kicked sacred image
Bangladesh 
17 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Bangladesh, two young Muslim men urinated on the idol of Devi, followed by kicking it with their feet. Following the video’s circulation, numerous Hindu organisations and activists have taken to social media and public forums to strongly condemn the incident. 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 of - Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within it, the sub-category 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 sub-category selected is - Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The incident in Bangladesh, in which two young Muslim men were filmed urinating on an idol of a Hindu Devi and then kicking it, is a blatant act of religiously motivated hate crime. In Hinduism, murtis (idols) are not mere artistic depictions but sacred embodiments of divinity, revered with daily rituals, prayers, and offerings. Acts of desecration—particularly those as degrading and violent as urination and kicking—represent a deliberate and targeted attempt to insult, degrade, and attack the spiritual identity of Hindus. Such an act is not accidental or culturally neutral; it is driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith itself and the sanctity of its religious symbols. This behaviour is rarely accidental or uninformed; in fact, it is rooted in Islamic supremacy, a mindset that regards non-Islamic faiths, especially idol-worshipping religions like Hinduism, as inferior or impure. In Islam, idol worship (shirk) is considered the gravest sin, and this belief often fuels contempt toward traditions that venerate deities through idols. As a result, Hindu gods and goddesses are frequently targeted for mockery, their rituals disrespected, and their followers treated with disdain. In Sanatan Dharma, not only are the deities sacred, but so too are the customs surrounding their worship. Defiling an idol, especially in a manner as vile as urination, violates the religious practices and emotional sanctity of Hindu devotees. Such acts reflect not only hatred toward the tradition itself, but also a deep-seated disregard for the faith of its followers. It is a form of psychological violence intended to humiliate, intimidate, and marginalise a religious minority. As such, this is not merely vandalism—it is a deliberate, symbolic attack on the Hindu identity, and must be recognised and condemned as a hate crime. These kinds of attacks are not isolated but are part of a recurring pattern of religious hostility towards Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. Time and again, Hindu religious sites and symbols have been destroyed and desecrated by members of the Muslim community. This stems from religious animosity that exists in Islam against idol worshippers like Hindus, as idol worship is forbidden in Islam. This results in Hindus being frequently targeted and attacked just for practising their own faith. These attacks on temples and temple idols are not just acts of vandalism; they are direct assaults on the religious identity of Hindus. It highlights an atmosphere of religious intolerance where Hindu minority communities live under constant threat to their faith and dignity. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the incident happened. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
