Attack on ISKCON Temple Sparks Outrage

In the early hours of Saturday, a temple affiliated with the ISKCON temple in Dhaka (International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON) in Dhour village, Dhaka district, came under attack. Miscreants reportedly set the structure ablaze after dismantling its tin roof. According to Charu Chandra Das Brahmachary, General Secretary of ISKCON Bangladesh, the fire damaged an idol and burned the temple curtains before it was quickly extinguished.

VIDEO | “I am very shocked to receive the message that today, between 2 am and 3 am, miscreants attacked one of our ISKCON centres in Dhaka, threw petrol and burned the temple. The deities – Shri Shri Radha Krishna and Shri Shri Lakshmi Narayan – there were damaged. This is very… pic.twitter.com/4uR7oW3iNL

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 7, 2024

Contradicting accounts emerged regarding the nature of the property. While ISKCON Bangladesh described it as a “family temple” belonging to a devotee, ISKCON’s Kolkata office referred to it as an “ISKCON Namhatta Centre.”

Details of the Incident

ISKCON Kolkata Vice President Radharamn Das stated that the attack took place at the Hare Krishna Namhatta Sangha, targeting the Shri Shri Radha Krishna Temple and the Shri Shri Mahabhagya Lakshmi Narayan Temple. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Das explained that the vandals used petrol or octane to ignite the fire, completely burning the deities and other items within the premises.

Local authorities have launched a manhunt to apprehend the culprits. The attack highlights a troubling trend of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, exacerbating tensions between India and Bangladesh.

Worsening Indo-Bangla Relations

Relations between India and Bangladesh have taken a hit following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 and the rise of an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Anti-Hindu violence, including the recent arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges, has further strained ties.

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON member and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 25. His denial of bail sparked widespread protests, including one in Chattogram that led to the death of Assistant Government Prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif.

Protests in India

The attacks have triggered demonstrations across India. In Assam’s Barak Valley, which shares a 129-km border with Bangladesh, the Barak Valley Hotel and Restaurant Association announced they would boycott hosting Bangladeshi nationals until attacks on Hindus and minorities cease.

In Agartala, protesters stormed the Bangladeshi mission, prompting the Bangladeshi foreign ministry to summon the Indian envoy to lodge an official protest.

The escalation of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh poses significant diplomatic and regional challenges. It raises concerns about religious freedom, safety for minority communities, and the broader political dynamics between the two nations.

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Attack on ISKCON Temple Sparks Outrage

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