Those attacking Durga Puja pandals won’t be spared: Bangladesh PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a harsh warning to perpetrators of sectarian violence, saying that anyone participating in the attacks on Hindu temples and Durga Puja locations in Cumilla will not be spared. During an event at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka on the occasion of Durga Puja, the Prime Minister made the remarks while sharing pleasantries with Hindus. She joined the programme from Ganabhaban through a video conference.

She called the vandalism of temples in Cumilla extremely sad and added that individuals who are unable to win the people’s trust and have no ideology are capable of carrying out such acts. Hasina said that the Cumilla event happened at a time when the country was accelerating its growth and it was intended to stymie the country’s progress by causing a crisis.

Tensions flared among a group of Cumilla residents on Wednesday when reports of the purported destruction of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja site on the bank of Nanuar Dighi spread on social media. The situation became out of hand at one point and rioting extended to a number of other Puja locations in the surrounding districts. The local administration and police were attacked while attempting to restore order. Similar incidents were reported from several districts around the nation, on Wednesday night and Thursday, prompting the government to deploy Border Guard Bangladesh troopers in 22 districts, along with extra law enforcement personnel.

Prime Minister Hasina stated that they were aware of the situation and have made steps to address it. She urged Hindu leaders, particularly the Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Committee, to develop a policy to determine how many Puja mandaps will be set up across the country to commemorate Durga Puja, taking into account the limited number of security personnel available to ensure the mandaps’ safety and security.

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She also advised Hindus not to see themselves as a minority and to practise their faith with the same privileges as other religions, because they were born and raised in the nation and fought side by side to free the country during the 1971 Liberation War.

The PM emphasised that her administration was devoted to promoting the wellbeing of all people, regardless of caste, creed or religion, by highlighting several initiatives done by her government to improve the Hindu population.