Goddess Saraswati's idol vandalised by miscreants in Bangladesh
Sirajganj District, Bangladesh 
1 March, 2025
Case Summary
In Kazipur Upazila in Siranjpur district in Bangladesh, an idol of goddess Saraswati was vandalised by miscreants in a Hindu temple named Shikha Smriti Sarbajanin Durga Mandir. According to media reports, a caretaker of the temple Uttam Karmakar said, "When I went to worship at the temple in the morning, I found the idol broken. The door was locked. Someone had broken the idol by inserting bamboo sticks." Parimal Kumar Tarafdar, president of the Kazipur Upazila Puja Celebration Committee stated, "I came to the temple after learning about it. The extremists have broken the idols inside the temple in the dark of night. I want the culprits to be punished after a proper investigation." Swapna Karmakar, a temple resident, stated, "A person from our house next door came to pay obeisance at the temple in the morning and saw the idol upside down. We rushed to him after hearing his call." The local Hindus reported this incident to the Kazipur Upazila police station, which then led to Officer-in-Charge Noor Alam, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Superintendent of Police visiting the temple. The local Hindus demanded justice from the police. They requested the police to take strict action against the perpetrators. Office-in-Charge Noor Alam agreed and began an investigation in this matter. This case of vandalism of a Hindu religious site is one of several such targeted attacks that have been carried out against Hindu minorities since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024. Since Sheikh Hasina’s ousting, 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 various parts of the Islamic country in a major crackdown on Hindus. Further, the arrest of Hindu priests has exacerbated the situation, with Hindu minorities protesting across Bangladesh and seeking justice.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Attack on Hindu religious representation. Under this, the first sub-category 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 second sub-category relevant here 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 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 ouster, Islamists 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. Amid this, reports emerged of miscreants vandalising the Hindu temple named Shikha Smriti Sarbajanin Durga Mandir and the idol of Goddess Saraswati placed inside it. It is important to highlight that the miscreants involved in the vandalism were fully aware that Hindu temples are sacred centres of worship for Hindus. By targeting these temples, they knowingly attacked the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The purpose behind this was obviously to intimidate, harass, or provoke the Hindu worshippers. Furthermore, it was done primarily out of animosity for Hindus and their faith, making it a kind of religious harassment worthy of being listed in the tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
