ISKCON temple set afire, idol damaged near Dhaka

A group of people set an ISKCON temple on fire in Bangladesh’s Dhaka district on Saturday.

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The attack at Dhour village, under the Turag police station in Dhaka district, took place in the early hours of Saturday. A police official said a manhunt had been launched to track the culprits.

According to Charu Chandra Das Brahmachary, general secretary of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Bangladesh, the temple was set on fire after lifting the tin roof. “The fire was, however, doused quickly but an idol was damaged and curtains burnt,” he added.

In India, Radharamn Das, vice-president, ISKCON, Kolkata, said the “vandals set ablaze idols inside the temple at the property.” “The ISKCON Namhatta Centre burned down in Bangladesh. The deities of Sri Sri Laxmi Narayan and all items inside the temple were burned down completely,” Das said in a post on X.

Condemning the attack, BJP’s West Bengal unit president and Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar said it was an act of hatred against a place of worship.

“Immediate action must be taken to bring the culprits to justice and ensure the safety of religious minorities,” Majumdar said.

The relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power after deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 5 following students’ led protest.