Calls for Year‑Round Protection of Minority Worship Sites in Bangladesh

As Bangladesh prepares for the annual Durga Puja celebrations, two Hindu advocacy groups have issued a stark warning about the safety of minority religious sites. Their latest report indicates that thirty‑four incidents involving temple attacks, idol destruction and related violence have been logged in the weeks leading up to the festival.

The Durga Puja Coordination Council and the Metropolitan Community Puja Committee convened a press conference at the historic Dhakeshwari National Temple complex in Dhaka. Both bodies appealed to the authorities to implement comprehensive security measures that extend beyond the five‑day festival period, urging protection for temples and shrines throughout the entire calendar year.

Incidents have been reported across several districts, including Sylhet, Rajbari, Panchagarh and Tangail, where worshippers found shattered idols and damaged temple premises. Additional cases involve a theft at a centuries‑old Kali temple in Faridpur and a series of looting attacks on Hindu homes, markets and places of worship in Sunamganj.

One notable incident in Naogaon featured individuals claiming to be intelligence officials while carrying out a robbery, raising concerns about the misuse of authority and the potential for organized intimidation.

Leaders stressed that the essence of Durga Puja lies in communal harmony and that secular values must be reinforced to prevent sectarian strife. They called for swift legal action against those who perpetrate violence and demanded that the government adopt a policy of continuous protection for minority communities.

The pattern of attacks aligns with a longer‑standing trend of violence that began under the interim administration of former Prime Minister Mohammad Yunus and continues under the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party regime.

Earlier this month, the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities published a detailed catalog of 498 alleged violations against ethnic and religious minorities recorded between July and September 2026. The dossier includes murders, beatings, sexual assaults, attacks on religious sites and property violations, prompting calls for thorough investigations and accountability.