Bangladesh: Maulvi cuts off sacred thread from child for relief supplies, refuses to return It, calling it a bad omen

While Bangladesh is struggling with severe flooding, a video that went viral on August 30 shows a Maulvi removing a sacred thread from a child’s neck in exchange for relief material. The video is reportedly from Noakhali, Bangladesh.

In the viral video, a young boy is shown standing in knee-deep water when a Maulvi, wearing a skull cap and accompanied by two other young men, approaches him with a bag of relief materials. The Maulvi leans in and cuts the sacred thread from the boy’s neck while another youth hands him a plastic bag. As the boy clutches the bag with his left hand, he asks the Maulvi to return his holy thread. One of the young men then comments that taking the thread back would bring bad luck and a curse.

Although the audio in the video is somewhat unclear, one of the youths can be heard saying in Bengali, “taale tumaake shraap debe,” which translates roughly to “you will be cursed otherwise.” Another youth warns the boy that he won’t receive any more relief materials if he asks for the thread back. The two youths then instruct the boy to look into the camera and wave goodbye, telling him in Bengali, “Jaao, jaao, khishi toh, tata dao,” which translates to “go, go, hope you’re happy, say goodbye.”

In the video, the boy’s religion is unclear, but the Maulvi is seen removing the sacred thread from the child’s neck in exchange for relief material. Even if the boy were Muslim, this act highlights a troubling trend of increasing radicalisation, as some puritanical forms of Islam reject such practices. While some might argue that the Maulvi is merely doing his job, these actions are indicative of the rapid growth of Jamaat ideology and its influence.

Indeed, attacks on Sufi shrines in Pakistan and Afghanistan have surged in recent years, fueled by Salafist and jihadist sects that view such practices as haraam (forbidden) according to their interpretation of Islam. These extremist groups regard worship at dargahs (shrines), the use of tabeez (amulets), kalawa (sacred threads), and other Sufi rituals as heretical, believing they deviate from the “pure” teachings of Islam.

The ideological opposition of Salafists and jihadists to Sufism has resulted in violent assaults on Sufi shrines, especially in Pakistan and Afghanistan. These attacks are frequently brutal, involving bombings, shootings, and other forms of terrorism intended to destroy the shrines and instil fear among their devotees. The attackers see these acts as a religious obligation to eradicate what they perceive as heretical practices.

Islamist attacks on Hindu lives, homes, and Mandis in Bangladesh

The violence in Bangladesh, which erupted on August 5 following Sheikh Hasina’s fall, has been relentless, particularly targeting the Hindu minority in this Islamic nation. Reports indicate numerous attacks by Islamist mobs on Hindus, including the burning of homes, lynchings, and widespread violence that has devastated several Hindu Mandirs across the country.

On August 9, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad released a report detailing 205 incidents of attacks on minority community members, particularly Hindus, across 52 districts in the country following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure.

While several Hindus have been brutally lynched, the ongoing violence has severely impacted Hindu Mandirs across the country. Mandirs in Natore, Dhamrai (Dhaka), Kalapara (Patuakhali), Shariatpur, and Faridpur, along with homes in Jessore, Noakhali, Meherpur, Chandpur, and Khulna, have been targeted. Additionally, Dinajpur witnessed the vandalisation of 40 Hindu shops.

Several Hindu women in Bangladesh have bravely come forward to recount their harrowing experiences at the hands of rampaging Islamist mobs. In a video released by Hindu Voice on August 8, women from various areas in the Pirojpur district are heard describing their suffering and the violence they endured.

Hindus, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, reported that many are unable to relocate to safer areas because Jamaat-e-Islami groups and other Islamist militants are patrolling the streets with guns. This makes it nearly impossible for them to seek refuge. Several videos and photos of these attacks on Hindus have emerged on social media.