Bangladesh: Islamists threaten Hindus against publicly celebrating Durga Puja; asks them to display ‘anti-India’ statements outside temples among 15 other demands

In Bangladesh, the spree of violent attacks and religious persecution of Hindus intensified on 5th August, this year following the violent ouster of elected PM Sheikh Hasina.

Even after 50 odd days, large scale targeted attacks on religious minorities, particularly, Hindus continues unabashedly in the anarchy gripped nation. Now, the Islamist groups have issued blatant threats against the public celebration of Durga Puja – the largest religious festival of the Bangladeshi Hindu community.

Islamist group threaten Bengali Hindus against Durga Puja celebrations, issues list of 16 demands

According to media reports, the Islamists groups have asked the Bengali Hindu community to publicly display anti-India remarks and banners outside temples and Durga Puja Pandals alleging that “India is the enemy of Bangladesh”. They have also issued a list of 16 demands including threatening Hindus to not publicly celebrate Durga Puja. 

According to Bangladeshi media reports, radical Islamic groups have been staging protests demanding a ban on public celebration of Durga Puja. Recently, extremist groups also carried out a march in Dhaka’s Sector 13. They demanded the Interim government to not declare nationwide holidays for Durga Puja arguing that the lives of Muslims should not be impacted for a festival of Bengali Hindus, who comprises less than 2% of the country’s population. They have also opposed the use of playgrounds by the Hindu community to mark their festivities. 

According to reports, an organisation called Insaf Keemkari Chhatra-Janta staged a protest holding several anti-Hindu placards. One such placard read in Bangla, “no worship anywhere by closing roads, no pollution to water by idol immersion, no worship to idols”.

The Islamist group also raised other slogans and placards saying, “Stop calling Durga Puja a universal festival, its a festival of Hindus”, “Can’t allow organisation of Puja anywhere by blocking roads, Puja should be inside temples only”, “Durga Puja holidays should be restricted holiday, not general holiday”, “Stop export of Hilsa fish to India” and “Ban music during Puja” among others. 

Furthermore, the Islamist group has also warned Hindus against using government relief funds for managing their festival expenses. 

Display anti-India remarks outside temples: Islamist group’s decree for Hindus

According to the Insaf Keemkari Chhatra-Janta, since Hindus make up less than two per cent of the population, Durga Puja should not warrant public holidays. For them, this will disrupt the lives of the Muslim majority. They also claim that no Muslim should be involved in supporting Hindu festivals, citing religious reasons. 

Furthermore, their demand also includes removing temples “built by occupying many special lands in Bangladesh”. 

The demand list also read, “Since India is the national enemy of Bangladesh, the Hindu citizens of Bangladesh must also agree to be anti-India. For this reason, anti-India banners and anti-India slogans should be kept in temples.” 

Stop puja, sound systems before and during Namaz: Interim government’s decree and anti-Hindu remarks embolden Islamists to carry out rampant attacks on Hindus

The Interim government’s apathy towards the Bengali Hindu community, rather an abject pandering to Islamist forces have also emboldened the Islamist elements in Bangladesh. Recently, the Interim government had passed a decree asking the Hindus to stop Puja and sound systems at least 5 minutes before and during the Namaz and Azan. While claiming protection and assurance to the Hindus, the government stated that ‘non-Hindus’ will be recruited as volunteers to protect the Durga Puja Pandals. 

While the order seem benign and assuring to the Hindus, there have been apprehensions of a repeat of the infamous 2021 violence that was meted against Durga Puja after an Islamist miscreant, Iqbal Hossain, willfully but clandestinely placed the Quran at the feets of Goddess Durga which led to hate mongering against the Hindu community. 

As the Islamists wildly peddled the video of the Quran kept at the feet of the temple’s idol with misleading and hate-mongering claims, several Muslim mobs instigated communal violence against Hindu communities across Bangladesh that continued for several days. As per reports, more than 50 temples and Pandals were vandalised all over Bangladesh with scores of other attacks going unreported.

Ongoing religious persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh

In the past few months, Islamist miscreants have indulged in vandalism and targeted Hindu temples all across Bangladesh, with over 200 odd incidents being reported in the first few days after the violent ouster unfolded in the country. It has been widely reported that Hindu teachers and academicians have been purged on a massive scale with over 100 of them being forced to resign by Islamist mobs who stormed and held them hostage in their offices. 

Now, ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations, Islamist miscreants have carried out large scale vandalism and damaged scores of idols of Goddess Durga being made for the festival celebration and reverence. 

Recently, the Bangladesh Durga Puja Committees received threatening messages which demanded extortion for holding Durga Puja festivities. They warned that if the committees fail to pay 5 lakh takas, they will chop the Hindu devotees to pieces. 

According to reports, the Bengali Hindu community in Khulna were asked to pay 5 lakh Bangladeshi taka (nearly, Rs 3,50,726) to celebrate Durga Puja. The letter threatened that if the Hindus reveal this to the government or the media, they will be beheaded.

The letter read, “We swear upon Allah, if we do not get the money, we shall chop you to pieces. We have eyes on you.”

Notably, the Bengali Hindu committee will celebrate Durga Puja festivities from 9th October to 13th October.