In the early hours of May 31, a Hindu Mandir in the Salimpur Union of Sitakunda Upazila, Chittagong District, Bangladesh, was attacked and set ablaze by unidentified extremists. The incident took place around 3 am when assailants stormed the Sarbajanin Sri Sri Mahasamshan Kali Mandir, a semi-pucca structure, and proceeded to vandalise the murti of Maa Kali along with other sacred images before torching the premises.
Following the destruction, the perpetrators reportedly erected a temporary boundary wall on the site, indicating an attempt to seize the Mandir land. Upon discovering the damage later that morning, members of the Mandir committee informed local authorities. An official complaint was lodged on June 1, by Amar Majumder, president of the Mandir committee.
Despite the nature of the attack, local police appeared to dismiss the communal angle. Sitakunda Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammed Mojibur Rahman stated, “The Mandir was constructed on government land. I am of the view that the incident occurred due to a land dispute with the owner of nearby land.”
The incident follows another act of violence on May 22 in Dahar Mashihati village of Abhaynagar Upazila, Jessore district, where a mob allegedly targeted Hindu homes in an arson attack. Although the scale and motivation of that incident have been debated, reports suggest a concerning pattern of communal tension.
Civil rights groups and local Hindu communities have raised alarm over what they perceive as the systematic targeting of minorities under the guise of land conflicts. Critics argue that dismissing such acts as property disputes undermines the real threat posed by growing religious intolerance.
Over the past year, attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh have intensified, reflecting a disturbing trend of rising intolerance. In October 2023, multiple Durga Puja pandals were vandalised in Barisal and Narsingdi, leading to communal clashes. In December, a Mandir in Khulna was defaced, and murtis were broken during an overnight attack. Early in 2024, reports emerged from Sylhet, where Hindu-owned shops were looted following rumours of blasphemy. In March, a mob attacked a Mandir in Tangail, again under the pretext of a land dispute. Each incident followed a familiar pattern: initial violence, official denial of communal motives, and little to no follow-up action. These recurring assaults have created a climate of fear among Bangladesh’s Hindu population. Human rights organisations have repeatedly called for accountability, but justice remains elusive. The lack of strong legal and political responses only emboldens perpetrators.
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