Maa Kali, Shitola & Mahadeva murtis have been desecrated in Mithapukur sub-district under Rangpur district of northern Bangladesh. A Muslim woman named Kohinoor Begum, wife of Aminur Rahman, was arrested by the police in connection with the desecration of these murtis in a Maa Kali temple. 

Officer-In-Charge (OC) of Mithapukur Police Station, Mostafizur Rahman said, “arrested Kohinoor Begum gave a confessional statement”, Bengali language national daily newspaper of Bangladesh Ajker Patrika has reported. 

Meanwhile, another Maa Kali temple was desecrated and vandalised under Kotwali Thana area of the district, Bengali language national daily newspaper of Bangladesh, Kalbela has reported. Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council’s Rangpur chapter president Sushanta Bhowmik told Kalbela that a loudspeaker was used during the Srimadbhagavad Gita recitation program at Haricaran Barman’s house on Friday afternoon. There was a little argument with some young people regarding the use of loudspeaker. Later at night, the Maa Kali temple in Haricaran Barman’s home was found vandalised.

He also said that a ‘reconciliation’ meeting was held the next afternoon in the presence of sub-district council Chairman Nasima Zaman Bobby, local union council chairman Sohel Rana, Hindu leaders and other elders.

Different Hindu organizations have strongly condemned the two incidents in the same night in same district. Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council’s local chapter demanded exemplary punishment for those involved, the report added.

Earlier in 2021, more than 65 houses of Hindus were burned down by an Islamist mob in Rangpur district. In 2017, over 30 houses of Hindus were torched by Muslim mob following a rumour in the same district.