Durga Puja Pandals vandalized in Cumilla, Narsingdi, Munshiganj (Bangladesh)

Dhaka, Oct 14 (UNI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said those behind vandalising Durga Puja pandals and Hindu temples in Cumilla will be hunted down to hand out appropriate punishments to them to stop the recurrence of such communal acts.
Her comments came as around 100 people were arrested in different districts in connection with the violence unleashed on Durga Puja pandals and temples across Cumilla following reports that “the Holy Quran was demeaned” at a puja pandal.
Teams of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in Cumilla, Narsingdi, Munshiganj and 19 other districts to ensure security during the Durga Puja celebrations.
Hasina said: “A thorough investigation is underway. We are getting huge information. We will definitely trace those who carry out such incidents and we will do so,” she said referring to Wednesday’s Cumilla incident.
The PM made the remarks while exchanging greetings with Hindu devotees at the Dhakeshwari National Temple virtually from the Gono Bhaban on the occasion of Durga Puja, the Daily Star reported.
Hasina said necessary action will surely be taken against the culprits, no matter what religion they belong to.
“They must be found out. We did so in the past and will do it in future as well. They must face appropriate punishments. We want such punishments so that none dare do so [engaging in communal incidents] in future.”
Terming vandalising of temples in Cumilla “very unfortunate”, Hasina said, “This is an era of technology and those involved in the incident will definitely be found out using technology.”
The instances of vandalism at Durga Puja pandals and temples across Cumilla were reported following a rumour circulated on Facebook and other social media alleging besmirching of the Quran at a puja venue.
Hasina said people irrespective of caste, creed and religion in Bangladesh celebrate all festivals together. “Religion is for individuals and festival is for all and we enjoy every festival together.”
But there are a few cliques who are out to destroy the spirit by carrying out some communal incidents, she added.
“Some people are religiously blind and they always want to create communal conflicts. Such people belong not only to the Muslim community, but also to all other religions. In that case, if we all work together, they can’t do any harm.”
Hasina said the Cumilla incident occurred at a time when the country was progressing towards development at full speed and it was aimed at hampering the journey of the nation’s uplift and creating a problem in the country.
She said those who can’t earn people’s confidence and trust and have no ideology can carry out such incidents.
As a Hindu community leader sought the government’s intervention regarding the information that some people were planning to attack them during immersion of the idols of Goddess Durga on Friday, the PM said they are aware of it and measures have already been taken to this end.
She called upon the Hindu community leaders, particularly those of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Committee, to formulate a policy to determine how many Puja mandaps will be set up across the country to celebrate Durga Puja keeping in mind the constraint of security personnel to ensure safety and security of the mandaps.
Hasina urged the Hindu community people not to consider themselves as minority people and perform their religious rituals with the same rights enjoyed by followers of other religions as they are born and brought up in the country and fought shoulder to shoulder to liberate it during the Liberation War.
In this connection, the premier recalled the memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, saying that he had turned Bangladesh into a secular country by incorporating the matter in the constitution.
“Bangabandhu wanted people of all faiths to practice their respective religions freely.”
Describing Bangladesh as a country of religious harmony, Hasina said people will perform their religious rituals with dignity and sincerity.
She renewed her determination to build Bangladesh as a peaceful country where there will be no room for militancy and terrorism.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Milon Kanti Datta and the principal of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka, Swami Purnatmananda Maharaj, spoke at the function, chaired by Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee President Shailendra Nath Majumder.
Meanwhile, the authorities have imposed Section 144 in Hajiganj following the violence and deployed two platoons of the BGB to restore law and order.
Administration officials in Chandpur and Cumilla formed separate committees to investigate the violence in the districts. Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Hasan said a three-member committee has been formed and asked to submit a report within three days.
At least 13 temples, idols in those temples and 40 businesses of Hindu people were vandalised in five districts. Around 95 people were injured during the time.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan held a high-level meeting with the cabinet secretary and heads of different law enforcing and intelligence agencies at the ministry. He said several individuals were identified in connection with the incident in the Puja Mandap in Cumilla and they will be arrested soon.
The home minister added that those spreading rumours on social media will also be brought to book.
In Bandarban, at least 25 people including 10 policemen were injured in a clash between a mob and law enforcers in Lama Kendrio Hori Mandir. The clash ensued when several hundred religious fanatics attacked the temple around 11 am.
They also vandalised at least 40 shops owned by Hindu people, said Prashanto Bhattacharya, president of the temple management committee.
In Noakhali, villagers attacked two temples in Hatiya and one in Begumganj on Wednesday morning. Police have so far arrested five people in connection with the attacks.
In Gazipur city, miscreants attacked at least three temples and vandalised idols in Kashimpur Bazar yesterday. Police later arrested at least 20 people in connection with the attacks.
Human chains were formed in Gazipur and Barishal to protest the attacks in Gazipur and elsewhere.
In Rajshahi’s Bagmara upazila, 10 individuals, including a policeman, were injured in a clash between a mob and the police.
There were clashes in Chattogram, Kurigram and Moulvibazar on Wednesday, where Hindu idols and temples were vandalised.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad in a statement yesterday urged Hindu people across the country to observe sit-ins at each Durga Puja mandaps today for three hours from 11 am in protest of the attacks.
Contacted, Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad General Secretary Advocate Rana Dasgupta expressed grave concern over the attacks, saying, “We will soon announce programmes protesting the attacks.”
UNI/RN