DHAKA, Bangladesh — Schoolteacher Supriya Sarker is pleased to mark the vibrant celebration of Durga Puja, the largest Hindu festival in Bangladesh. However, she expresses that the joy of the festivities is marred by an underlying sense of fear and the threat of violence accompanying this year’s event.
The weeklong celebration, culminating with the immersion of idols dedicated to the Hindu Goddess on Sunday, has been challenging for the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Reports of vandalism, violence, and intimidation have surfaced, with Hindus facing harassment in a nation where they represent approximately 8% of the nearly 170 million population, equivalent to over 13 million individuals.
This year’s observance has been particularly subdued following the recent ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, alongside attacks targeting minority groups, predominantly Hindus. Hasina fled to India amid widespread protests led by a student-driven anti-government movement.
Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, has encountered significant hurdles in ensuring public safety since assuming office in August. The observance of Durga Puja was anticipated as a critical test of his administration’s ability to safeguard minority rights.
Hindu communities have expressed their concerns, attributing their fears to the Yunus administration’s inadequate measures to offer protection. There are growing worries that extremist Islamist factions have gained heightened political influence and visibility following Hasina’s departure.
“This is a tough period for us Hindus,” Sarker stated while participating in the Kumari Puja in Dhaka’s Uttara district. “We have experienced difficulties in the past, but never to this extent. We desire to coexist peacefully with our Muslim compatriots and others, free from discrimination or intimidation.”
Her sentiments resonate with the findings of the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council, which reported an alarming 2,010 instances of communal violence directed at minorities, primarily Hindus, between August 4 and August 20. The organization noted that nine individuals from minority communities were killed, four women were victims of rape, and numerous homes, businesses, and temples were either destroyed or defiled during this period.
In the lead-up to Durga Puja, instances of vandalism have also been reported in various regions of Bangladesh. In Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood, Hindu worshippers had to shift their celebrations to a smaller venue after local Muslims protested against the installation of idols in an open space.
Jayanta Kumar Dev, president of the Sarbajanin Puja Committee, indicated that they received reports regarding attacks on temples and statues even before the festival officially commenced on October 9.
Nevertheless, Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and the Army Chief Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman assured the public that adequate security measures would be in place. “They assured us there was nothing to fear, which provided us with a sense of security, leading to puja celebrations taking place across the nation,” Dev elaborated.
However, tensions remained high. This week, police in Chattogram apprehended members of an Islamic cultural group after they sang provocative revolutionary songs at a temple, urging Hindus to join an Islamic cause. The incident ignited a backlash online, prompting authorities to vow accountability for those responsible. Although reports link these individuals to the country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, the party has denied these claims.
Adding to the unease, a firebomb was reportedly thrown at a statue of the Hindu Goddess at a temple in Dhaka’s Tantibazar area, provoking panic among worshippers. Fortunately, authorities reported that no injuries occurred due to this incident, although media indicated that at least five individuals were injured due to mugging-related stabbings.
In response to the escalating situation, authorities heightened security measures following the attack at the temple. Dhaka resident Ankita Bhowmick expressed contentment with the government’s protective efforts yet remarked that the prevailing atmosphere is stifling. “True peace would come from a mindset that allows everyone to practice their religion freely, eliminating fear altogether,” she asserted during her visit to the Dhakeswari temple.
Home Affairs Adviser Chowdhury mentioned that special security protocols would remain active until the conclusion of the festival on Sunday. Additional forces, including the military and naval units, have been deployed to uphold law and order throughout the Hindu festivities.
Amidst these challenges, university student Arpita Barman remains hopeful. “The attendees here exude joy. I dream of a future where even more people join us in celebrating puja. It’s heartening to witness individuals of varying faiths coming together. We aspire for such unity to flourish in Bangladesh,” she concluded.
