Durga Pooja 2005 Incidents
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.
June 2005
I. June 2, 2005. Chuarpur village, Kirtipur union, Naogaon district (in northwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). Local Islamic reactionaries hanged a stolen Sitala image from the Kalitala Puja mandap constructed by the local Hindu community from a tree. The local administration has constructed a road, which has illegally encroached large sections of the land belonging to the local Hindu temple. Local Hindus are in great fear thinking that the local Islamic fundamentalist forces will illegally occupy all of the land of the temple in the nearby future.
II. June 6, 2005. Mulpani village, Ujibpur sub-district, Barishal district (in southern Bangladesh near the Bay of Bengal). Local Islamic militants attacked the homes of two local Hindus named Mukunda Biswas and Shyamalal Biswas. The group looted valuables worth in excess of 300,000 Taka (approximately US $5,000).
III. June 7, 2005. Mirakathi village, Jhalkathi sub-district, Barishal district (in southern Bangladesh near the Bay of Bengal). Islamic fundamentalists attacked the home of a local Hindu named Premankh Edbar and looted valuables worth in excess of 300,000 Taka (approximately US $5,000).
IV. June 8, 2005. Ratal Bazar, Singhra sub-district, Natore district (in western Bangladesh near the Indian state of West Bengal). Five shops owned by members of the local tribal Hindu community were looted and destroyed at Ratal Bazar by a group of Islamic zealots. The Singhra police station did not feel it was necessary to file a case. The group of Islamic radicals is known as Rashid’s group tried to occupy the seven acres of land of a Hindu tribal named Jitendranath Tappo. When members of the tribal community protested against the group, the group went away. The group came back at noon and attacked the shops of Jiten’s relatives: Nabin, Paresh, Sukumar, Prafulla and Nepal.
May 2005
I. May 1, 2005. Gopalganj district town (southwest of the capital city of Dhaka). A group of Islamic fundamentalists destroyed the Hindu religious icons and looted goods other valuables from the Nichupara Sarbajanin Sitala Mandir (a local Hindu temple). Although the police arrested three people: Abu Saidh Khan, Nazmul Khan and Kamrunnahar Raoji in connection with the incident but were released when they were brought into the police station. The district administrator and police superintendent visited the area. In addition, two separate complaints were filed in the Gopalganj police station regarding the incident.
II. May 1, 2005. Rasunia village, Shiridiklam sub-district, Munshigunj district (proximately south of the capital city of Dhaka). A group of Islamic militants raided the home of a local Hindu villager named Shanti Dey. Dey’s wife Parul Rani Dey (age 30) was shot to death by the gang.
III. May 1, 2005. Ramdih village, Kuliachar sub-district, Kishoreganj district (northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). At least 300,000 Taka (approximately US $5,000) of valuables were looted when a group of Islamic zealots attacked the home of Justice Biplob Kumar Goswami, a local Hindu resident of the area.
IV. May 1, 2005. Saidpur village, Debi dar sub-district, Comilla district (in eastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of Tripura). Islamic reactionaries looted valuables in excess of 300,000 Taka (approximately US $5,000) from the homes of Dhirendra Paul and Gobinda Pal, both of whom Hindu residents of the area.
April 2005
I. April 1, 2005. Madhab bari area, Jaidevpur town, Gazipur district (proximately northwest of the capital city of Dhaka). A prominent Islamic fundamentalist named Md.Shah Alam has constructed a building by illegally occupying the boundary wall of Shree Shree Manikodham Hindu Temple. Local sources have confirmed that there is a plan by Alam to occupy the temple in the near future.
II. April 2, 2005. Chuadanga district (in southwestern Bangladesh bordering the Indian state of West Bengal). The police arrested Shyamal Sarkar, a member of the local Hindu minority community and the General Secretary of the local branch of Bangladesh Workers Party in a false case. He later died in Jessore Sadar Hospital while undergoing treatment for injuries he suffered when being beaten up in police custody.
III. April 6, 2005. Nabachara village, Bamaichori sub-district, Rangamati district (in southeastern Bangladesh bordering the Indian states of Tripura and Mizoram). Islamic fundamentalists killed a Buddhist tribal named Bijoy Chakma (age 60), a local resident of the area.
IV. April 6, 2005. Aamgram village, Rajori sub-district, Madaripur district (south of the capital city of Dhaka). Islamic fundamentalists attacked the home of Srikant Das a local Hindu villager. Seema Das, Ripon Das and Liton Das were injured in the attack. The gang looted goods and valuables worth in excess of 200,000 Taka (approximately US $3333).