BD : fear and tension among Hindu minorities in the run-up to ‘Durga Puja’, idols broken, Home Advisor assures security

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 22, 2025

The official assurances of security and peace notwithstanding, the Hindu minorities across Bangladesh continue to tremble in fear and tension over possible subversion of the four day ‘Durga Puja’ exactly a week away. Except during the nine year rule of military dictator H.M.Ershad (1981-1990) the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh have never had any security or protection from subversion of their religious festivals by the communal and fundamentalist section of majority Muslims. The situation has only worsened over the past year of the Yunus ruled interim government’s rule as , despite assurances of security given by top heads of the interim government including Dr Md Yunus, there is an all-pervasive fear psychosis among the minorities.

This grim reality came to the fore yesterday in Sarishabari subdistrict under Jamalpur district as a fundamentalist youth Habibur Rahaman(35) single-handedly broke down at least seven idols of ‘Debi Durga’ and her retinue of lesser deities in the Taryapara temple in the town on Saturday night . Sources from Bangladesh said that on Sunday morning the president of the temple committee Ganesh Chandra Barman had visited the temple and found the images broken before informing the police authority. The officer in charge of Sarishabari police station Rashedul Hasan rushed to the spot with his force and identified the idol-breaker Habibur Rahaman (35), a resident of Shimlapuli village,after examining the CCTV footage and arrested him. Rashedul assured the organizers that the nabbed culprit would be charge-sheeted and brought to book. The incident has cast a shadow of fear and panic in the minds of the Hindu minorities and ‘Puja’ organizers in entire Jamalpur district.

However, speaking to media persons this morning in Dhaka, the advisor for home affairs in the interim government Lt General (retired) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury ruled out any security threats to the Hindu ‘Durga Puja’ organizers in Bangladesh."There are no security apprehensions regarding the celebration of Durga Puja," he said after visiting Ramkrishna Mission, Mission Para Puja Mandap, Narayanganj.The adviser said each of the puja mandaps across the country will be guarded by eight Ansar personnel and seven volunteers appointed by the respective puja celebration committees. Apart from these, 80,000 volunteers from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs will also be appointed at the puja mandaps, alongside bringing each of the puja mandaps under CCTV coverage to ensure round-the-clock security surveillance, he said.The government forces will be deployed from Wednesday, he said.Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and military personnel will also oversee the overall security measures for peaceful and festive celebrations of Durga Puja, he added."So, there is no security concern. Durga Puja will be celebrated this year with due religious fervour, sanctity, and festivity," he said.

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