Random Incidents that took place during
Durga Puja Festivities in 2005

The Durga Puja festivities, celebrating the Hindu Goddess Durga, are a source of great joy for the Hindus of Bengal, particularly the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh. However, with the rapid rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Bangladesh, the Durga Puja festivities have become a horrible nightmare for the minority Hindu community. In recent years, Hindus have been forced to leave their homes on the eve of this auspicious occasion, with Puja Pandals (the setup of the worship services) being frequently destroyed all over Bangladesh. Many places in Bangladesh witnessed attacks (in some cases organized) carried out by Islamic fundamentalists on the Durga Puja festivities. This year was particularly difficult for the local Hindu community with the number of attacks rising sharply in tandem with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Bangladesh. Please read below to see the hardships that the minority Bangladeshi Hindu community endured during this festival.

I. September 17, 2005. Chandpur village, Debidwar sub-district, Comilla district (in eastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Tripura). The religious icon of Lord Viswakarma was destroyed by Islamic zealots when they attacked the Durga Puja Mandap hosted by the local Hindu community.

II. September 24, 2005. Raghunathpur village, Muktagacha sub-district, Mymensigh district (in northern Bangldesh bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya). During the construction of religious icons of the Hindu Goddess Durga for the upcoming Durga Puja festivities, a local group of fifiteen Islamic reactionaries under the leadership of Hashim Khan attacked the area. While protecting the icons of Durga, two Hindu boys named Gouranga Paul and Narayana Paul were badly beaten and heavily injured in the attack.

III. September 25, 2005. Chaitrahati village, Salanga police station, Sirajganj district (northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). A group of Islamic extremists attacked the Adibashi (Tribal) Jagadeswari Temple, in a series of attacks to destroy the icons of the Hindu Goddess Durga.

IV. September 26, 2005. Bandarban district (In southeastern Bangladesh bordering the country of Burma). A group of armed Islamic militants ransacked and looted cash in excess of 100,000 Taka (approximately US $1666) and three valuable icons of Lord Buddha from the Lama Buddha Temple.

V. September 29, 2005. Balurghat village, Gouripur sub-district, Mymensigh district (in northern Bangldesh bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya). Islamic militants attacked and destroyed the local Hindu Rishibari Durga Puja Mandap. A case involving the incident has been filed in the local police station.

VI. October 2, 2005. Muktagacha sub-district, Mymensigh district (in northern Bangldesh bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya). The Kali Hindu Temple and Rishipara Hindu Temple were attacked by local armed Islamic reactionaries under the leadership of Mohammed Aktarujjaman, destroying two icons of the Hindu Goddess Durga in the process. In protest local Hindus boycotted the local Durga Puja celebrations.

VII. October 6, 2005. South Laban-Kara area, Khulna district (in southwestern Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). In the middle of the night, a group of Islamic reactionaries destroyed the icons of the Hindu Goddess Durga and stole all other Hindu icons from the Sri Hari Temple. The General Secretary of the Temple Committee, Sankar Biswas, reported the incident and filed a case in the local police station.

VIII. October 7, 2005. Kotwali police station, Chittagong District Town (in southeastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Tripura). A 300 year-old religious organization and temple, Shree Shree Chatteswari Mandir, was attacked by a group of organized Islamic militants. The group attacked the Chatteswari Mandir after completion of their Friday morning prayers (namaz) and from the Majjidul Ferdaus mosque situated 250 yards away. Though police were present, they played the role of mute spectators. The group stopped all daily offerings and worship of the local Hindu Chatteshwari deity.

IX. October 7, 2005. Keshabput sub-district, Jessore district (In southeastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). The large and prominent Sarbajonin Puja Temple was attacked in the middle of the night by Islamic reactionaries, who destroyed and stole the statues of the various Hindu deities.

X. October 7, 2005. Goalia area, Matlab sub-district, Chandpur district (southeast of the capital city of Dhaka). Islamic fundamentalists destroyed all three icons of the Hindu Goddess Durga being used in the Durga Puja celebrations of the Gosai Bari, Pradip Das and Chowdhury households.

XI. October 7, 2005. Chandpur village, Faridpur district (southeast of the capital city of Dhaka). The home of Priyalal Saha was attacked by local Islamic extremists destroying the icons the Hindu Goddess Durga being used in their family’s Durga Puja. An identical incident took place at Alfa Danga in the Faridpur district later.

XII. October 7, 2005. Charbaniari, Najirpur sub-division, Pirojpur district (in southern Bangladesh near the Bay of Bengal). Local Islamic zealots attacked the home of Annanga Biswas, while his family was celebrating Durga Puja. A case was lodged in the local police station after the incident.

XIII. October 7, 2005. Telipara village, Ullapara sub-district, Sirajganj district (northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). Islamic reactionaries destroyed the icons of the Hindu Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati that were kept in the local Kali Hindu Temple. The Temple Committee President Manidra Nath Sarkar lodged a case in the local police after the incident.

XIV. October 8, 2005. Comilla district town (in eastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Tripura). Islamic fundamentalists posted fatwas in order to stop Durga Puja celebrations at the following places: Kalital Temple at Madina Masjid Road, Monoharpur Rajrajeswari Kalibari Temple, Kandirpar Katyani Kalibari temple. The Islamic zealots threatened to blast the Mandaps if their fatwa was disobeyed.

XV. October 8, 2005. Simabari, Sherpur sub-district, Bagurah district (In northeastern Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). The icon of the Hindu Goddess Durga was destroyed at Madhyapara Mandir by a group of Islamic reactionaries.

XVI. October 8, 2005. Belkuthi sub-district, Sirajganj district (northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). The icon of the Hindu Goddess Durga was destroyed at the Shelberidha Mandap by Islamic fundamentalists.

XVII. October 9, 2005. Saiyedpur sub-division, Nilphamari district (in northern Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). Four Islamic zealots destroyed a statue of the Hindu Goddess Durga in the Changmari Puja Mandap.

XVIII. October 10, 2005. Satpar Village, Rajour sub-district, Madaripur district (aouth of the capital city of Dhaka). Wabdul Haq, a local notorious Islamic reactionary, created a panic when he threatened to blast the Durga Puja Mandap in the house of Nityananda Majumder, a local Hindu resident of the area.

XIX. October 10, 2005. Karamja Badyakarpara, Sonatala sub-district, Bagura district (in northeastern Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). Islamic reactionaries wrote two letters threatening to bomb the Sarbajanin Durga Puja Mandap. It was mentioned in the latter that six time bombs were fixed and hidden within the local temple. Despite a through investigation and search the police were unable to find the bombs or those responsible for the threats.

XX. October 10, 2005. Chhoto Aankara, Sarsha sub-district, Jessore district (in southwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). A twelve year old Hindu girl was kidnapped by a group of Islamic reactionaries on her way home from attending the Durga Puja. She was then raped. As of press time, the local police have arrested Md. Ripon, Md. Mithun, Md. Helal, Md. Ibadat, Md. Milan, and Md. Sobahan.

XXI. October 10, 2005. Sonatala sub-district, Bagura district (in northeastern Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). After the threat of Islamic zealots to blast the local Durga Puja Mandap at the Naodarga Haripara Sarbojanin Puja Mandap and that of the Durga puja held by the family of Pares Chandra Roy, the Inspector-in-Charge of the local police station and other administrative officers reached the area and offered protection.

XXII. October 11, 2005. Banya village, Singair sub-district, Manikganj district (proximately west of the capital city of Dhaka). Six Islamic reactionaries were arrested in connection with an attack on the residence of Keshab Chandra Sarkar, in which the armed zealots destructed the statue of the Hindu Goddess Durga.

XXIII. October 11, 2005. Pangashi village, Raiganj sub-division, Sirajganj district (northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). An Islamic Terrorist (Ansar) group attempted to rape a female security guard at the Sarbojanin Durga Puja Mandap being held Hindu Community, while she was on duty. Ultimately the victim, Mumtaz Parveen, a moderate Muslim woman, was rescued by the Puja committee personnel.

XXIV. October 11, 2005. Sirajganj district (northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). Mohammed Shovan and Mohammed Salim were handed over to the local police when they launched an attack on the Sailabari Durgapuja Mandap at night.

XXV. October 11, 2005. Badarganj sub-district, Rangpur district (in northern Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). In the middle of the night local slogan-shouting Islamic reactionaries attacked Durga Puja Mandaps in the area, shouted "Stop worship of idols in Bangladesh". During one incident, one policeman was heavily injured while restraining a crowd of the zealots. Police arrested one of the extremists by the name of Jahidul Islam.

XXVI. October 11, 2005. Baddhagram, Dumuria sub-district, Khulna district (in southwestern Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). Local Islamic reactionaries, riding motorcycles, went to different Mandaps causing disturbances and harassing the Hindu women there. They humiliated a college girl and during the event local Hindus in an organized way blocked off the biker gang from all sides. Finding the situation helpless local Union Parishad chairman asked the Hindus to forgive the gang and took them away.

XXVII. October 12, 2005. Gananagar village, Nasimnagar sub-district, Brahmanbaria district (in eastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Tripura). The Sarbajanin Durgapuja Mandap made in the home of Sanatan Das, a local Hindu resident, was attacked by a local group of Islamic reactionaries. Three policemen were seriously injured when they tried to prevent the attack. The police lodged a case against a total of eighteen members of the group in the local police station.

XXVIII. October 12, 2005. Narasinghdi District Town (east of the capital city of Dhaka). Local Islamic militants threw bombs on the Ghoradia Bankpara Durgapuja Mandap. Two men, who were passing away, were heavily injured by the blast on the road.

Undated Incidents:

Gopalganj district (southwest of the capital city of Dhaka). Local Islamic reactionaries attacked the home of Nairbari High School Head Master Vijoy Sarkar three times and threatened to stop his family’s Durga puja from going forward.

Jaldi village, Banskhali sub-district, Chittagong district (in southeastern Bangladesh near the Indian state of Tripura and the Bay of Bengal). The 30 year old Durga Puja of Bankipara Balak Sadhu Ashram, was forced to perform Ghat-puja in place of the Durga because the local administration and police told the Puja committee that they were unable to provide security. The local people have alleged that the Officer in Charge was extremely communal and prejudiced against the Hindus.

Nakakatight area, Pirganj sub-district, Thakurgaon district (in northern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Islamic extremists occupied 47 decimals of land with in Dag no. 463 of endowed property of the local Hindu temple, and in protest the Durga Puja Mandap was covered with black cloth by the local Hindu population.

Pabna district (in western Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). In the recent past the District Magistrate of Pabna District has given a lease of 92% of the land of the endowed property of the Shree Shree Siddheswari Kalimata Mandir to a local Islamic fundamentalist named Karmaja Dakhil Madrasa. Local Hindus filed a writ petition before the High Court Division Bench and direction was given to the District Administration and Madrasa restraining them from raising any disturbance of any activities of the endowed property of the temple.