Bangladesh Temple Torched, Muslim Rebuilds Dieties

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Fresh anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh, temple torched

Agence France Presse

"...local lawmaker Giasuddin Ahmed, who is from Zia's Bangladesh

Nationalist Party, offered 40,000 taka (689 dollars) for the

destroyed deities to be rebuilt."

 

Dhaka, October 8: A Hindu temple was torched and statues of deities

were destroyed in Bangladesh, ahead of a festival, reports said on

Tuesday.

 

In the northern area of Kishoreganj, a temple was set ablaze and

badly damaged on Saturday. A leaflet left behind called for an end

to ``idol worship'' and for a mosque to be built replacing the

temple, the Sangbad newspaper reported.

 

A day later, a group destroyed statues of deities, made ahead of the

major Hindu festival of Durga Puja on Thursday, in Narayanganj near

the capital Dhaka.

 

A private guard identified as Shah Alam was arrested for the attack

on Sunday, police officer Ashadul Islam said.

 

In another incident, two teenagers were arrested for destroying

idols in the western Natore district, Sangbad reported. The

government, however, has denied any campaign against Hindus, who

form about 12 per cent of Bangladesh's 130 million-strong

population, and has assured full security for the festival on

Thursday.

 

In the Narayanganj incident, local lawmaker Giasuddin Ahmed, who is

from Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party, offered 40,000 taka (689

dollars) for the destroyed deities to be rebuilt.