New Delhi: Governing Body Commissioner of ISKCON Gauranga Das on Saturday expressed concern over the violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh as a fresh case of vandalism of Hindu Temple emerged in the country.
Gauranga Das requested the Bangladesh government to provide security to citizens and protections Hindu Temples. “ISKCON is very concerned about this situation in Bangladesh and we are very concerned about the safety of all the Hindu minorities. We request the Bangladesh government and all the officials there to provide complete security to all the citizens, especially the minorities. All our temples there where all the citizens voluntarily pray according to their religion, those temples should be protected, those idols should be protected and those devotees should be protected,” Gauranga Das said.
Gauranga Das also requested the Bangladesh government to give the right to adopt and follow their religious freedom to all minorities. “We also request the Bangladesh government that all minorities, whether they are Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, should be given the right to adopt and follow their religious freedom and all their places of worship should be protected,” Das said.
Earlier in the day, Police in Bangladesh arrested one person for vandalizing Hindu idols in the Shakuair area on Saturday morning, officials said.
“We have arrested one person early today for vandalising Hindu idols in the Shakuair area,” said Abul Khair, Officer in Charge (OC) of Haluaghat Police Station under northern Mymensigh district.
Meanwhile, MoS External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, relating to violence in Bangladesh, informed that the 2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh till October of this year.
“2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh were reported till 8th December 2024 and 112 cases in Pakistan were reported till October 2024,” he replied.
Notably, Bangladesh is currently facing a tumultuous period following a student-led movement that led to the ousting of Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The movement was sparked by a series of violent incidents, including attacks on Hindus and other minorities, as well as the demolition of Hindu temples.
The situation in Bangladesh began to escalate in June 2024, when students from various universities in Dhaka united to demand reforms to the country’s quota system for government jobs led to the ouster of Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
After weeks of protests and violence that led to over 600 deaths. Hasina fled to India, and an interim government led by Yunus took charge.
Following this, Chinmoy Krishna Das, also a former priest of ISKCON, was arrested by police from Dhaka Airport on November 25 on a charge of sedition in Bangladesh, sparking protests worldwide. (With inputs from ANI)
