The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) reported that its temple was vandalized in a violent act in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The incident happened between midnight and dawn on 6 December 2020 and resulted in the huge destruction of property and idols of deities.
Several media reports quoted ISKCON officials who claimed that unidentified miscreants set their temple in the Swamibagh area of Dhaka on fire. It is alleged that the rogue attackers desecrated the idols before setting them on fire, and the community was shocked. A senior ISKCON official stated that the significant sanctum and nearby facilities were destroyed, provoking outrage among devotees worldwide.
The attack took place when religious tensions were already very high in the region. Preliminary reports indicate that the attack was not spontaneous but rather a planned attack on the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh.
In the wake of the attack, ISKCON authorities condemned the act and requested swift action from local authorities to ensure justice.
“This is a sad history of agony. Such acts of violence on places of worship are unacceptable,” an ISKCON representative said. Also, they said, “We expect the government to intervene immediately for the protection of the Hindu minority community so that this thing may not happen in the future.”
Bangladeshi authorities launched an investigation into the incident. Police authorities have increased security around minority religious sites in Dhaka. Meanwhile, community leaders and activists called for harmony and tolerance and urged all Bangladeshi citizens to uphold the spirit of multiculturalism in the country.
Other leading human rights organizations, however, expressed their concerns about the harassment often meted out against religious minorities in Bangladesh. In this regard, they called for protective measures for the respective rights and freedoms of all communities.
World Condemnation
The incident has received worldwide condemnation by religious groups and political leaders. Members of ISKCON and other political organizations have organized protest rallies and prayer sessions for justice and put minority issues in Bangladesh in the limelight.
Wider Implications
This attack highlights an ongoing issue for religious minorities across South Asia. The ripple effects of such incidents can incite further unrest, which could compromise and oppose attempts at promoting religious harmony. Human rights organizations have more than once emphasized education and community dialogue’s vital role in combatting intolerance.
Experts warn that because religious intolerance is allowed, the Multicultural Pageant would suffer irreparably in the region. In this way, advocacy groups have emphasized cross-religious dialogues that would act to educate masses and reach out to victims so that prejudices may be countervailed. Such efforts find themselves on the very verge of saving an occasion to avert a rerun of a nightmare.
