Saraswati Puja Mandap Vandalized [Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh]

(Reported as Seen)

The Hindu minority community in Bangladesh continues to face a distressing wave of attacks on their places of worship, with a recent incident reported from the Brahmanbaria district. On the night of February 14th, unidentified miscreants targeted a Saraswati Puja Mandap in the Paikpara area of Brahmanbaria town, leaving destruction in their wake.

The assailants vandalized the entire Puja Mandap, including the revered Murti of Maa Saraswati. Shockingly, the head of the Murti was severed and discarded, accompanied by additional acts of vandalism. The aftermath of the attack was discovered the next morning when locals found the desecrated Murti lying on the road, prompting a gathering of community members at the site.

A local resident revealed that the Puja had been organized by Hindu youths along Gangan Saha Road, and after the festivities, everyone departed. Under the cover of darkness, miscreants attacked the Murti and Mandap, leaving behind a scene of devastation.

The incident has intensified concerns within the local Hindu community, as frequent attacks on their temples and religious gatherings persist. A formal complaint has been lodged at the Brahmanbaria Sadar Police Station, though, as of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the vandalism.

This unsettling episode highlights the urgent need for heightened security measures to safeguard the religious freedoms and places of worship for the Hindu minority in Bangladesh.