Muslim eatery in Bangladesh defiles religious beliefs of Hindus by mixing beef into mutton dishes
Barisal, Barisal District, Bangladesh 
27 February, 2025
Case Summary
A hotel in Barishal, Bangladesh, has been accused of mixing beef into mutton dishes to defile the religious beliefs of Hindus. The allegation has been raised against '5S Garden Restora,' located at 132 Sadar Road in Barishal. The restaurant serves both Hindu and Muslim customers for lunch. Recently, a Hindu customer suspected something unusual while eating meat at the restaurant. Upon investigation, he discovered that he had been served beef mixed with mutton. He then filed a complaint with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Barishal. According to a report broadcast on the Protidiner Bangladesh channel, based on the complaint, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection conducted a raid on 5S Garden Restora at 132 Sadar Road, Barishal, last Wednesday morning. During the operation, the allegations were found to be true. However, the restaurant authorities claimed that their staff had made the mistake unintentionally. Apurba Adhikari, Director of the Barishal Divisional Office of the Consumer Rights Protection Department, stated that the restaurant was selling beef mixed with mutton, which is an attack on religious sentiments. He further mentioned that a few days ago, a customer had found a cockroach in his food at the same restaurant. When investigating that case, they discovered several irregularities in the establishment. The restaurant was reheating and serving leftover food from previous days, and the overall hygiene conditions were also found to be substandard. However, what shocked him the most was that beef and mutton were stored together, and the mixed meat was being served to customers. He emphasised that such actions were unacceptable and assured the guest that legal action would be taken against the restaurant.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added as a religiously motivated crime to the tracker under the prime category of- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the 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. This case qualifies as an instance of religiously motivated crime due to the deliberate violation of Hindu dietary laws, which hold religious significance. In Hinduism, consuming beef is strictly prohibited for its adherents, as the cow is revered as sacred. The act of secretly mixing beef into mutton and serving it to unsuspecting Hindu customers is a blatant desecration of their religious customs and an attack on their faith. This incident goes beyond mere food adulteration—it is a direct attempt to violate the religious beliefs of Hindus by coercing them into consuming something that is fundamentally forbidden in their faith. The intent behind this act was to religiously defile Hindu customers, making it a clear case of Hinduphobia. Additionally, the authorities' confirmation of the incident and their statement that it constitutes an attack on religious sentiments further justifies its classification under this category.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
