As incidents of violence and vandalism against the minority Hindu community see a sharp upturn in Bangladesh, questions were asked in the Parliament of India out of concern for human rights violations.

Some of the questions included whether there has been an increase in the incidents of desecration and damages to Hindu temples and deities in Bangladesh, and if the Government of India has “taken up the issue” with the interim government in Bangladesh. Answers were sought over the response of the Bangladesh government and the efforts made by Dhaka to stop such incidents.

Acknowledging the attacks on Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, the junior minister of external affairs told parliamentarians that “Several incidents of desecration and damages to Hindu temples and deities in Bangladesh have been reported in the past few months. The Government of India has expressed its concerns about such incidents, including the attack on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and the theft at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024. The Government has also called upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship.”

In a response to questions by MPs, The Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh told Members of Parliament that “The primary responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh.”

THE THEFT AT JESHORESHWARI KALI TEMPLE

In early October, the crown of goddess Kali had been stolen from the Jeshoreshwari temple in Satkhira’s Shyamnagar. This crown was gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the temple in March, 2021.

The theft happened in broad daylight – between 2.00 pm and 2.30 pm – after temple priest Dilip Mukherjee left following the day’s worship. The cleaning staff later found that the crown was missing from the deity’s head.

The stolen crown, made of silver and gold-plated, holds significant cultural and religious importance. According to Hindu scriptures, the Jeshoreshwari Temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths scattered across India (and now neighboring countries). The name “Jeshoreshwari” means “Goddess of Jeshore.”