Sanatan Prabhat > Location > Asia > Bangladesh > ‘If you want to perform Durgapuja, give 5 lakh taka (~ INR 3.5 lakh)’ : Bangladesh temples receive threat

‘If you want to perform Durgapuja, give 5 lakh taka (~ INR 3.5 lakh)’ : Bangladesh temples receive threat

  • Threatening letters received by temples in Khulna (Bangladesh)

  • Letter threatens to kill if money is not paid

  • Many temples decide not to perform Durgapuja

(Taka is Bangladeshi currency)

Threat letters to temples

Dhaka (Bangladesh) – In Khulna, Bangladesh, fanatic Muslims have threatened Hindus and asked to pay 5 lakh taka (~ INR 3.5 lakh) if they want to perform Durgapuja. Hindus have also received death threat if the money is not paid.

1. Several Hindu temples in Khulna District have received anonymous threat letters. These letters have been sent to the temples by post.

2. The letter mentions, ‘If Durgapuja is to be performed in 2024, Hindus will have to pay 5 lakh taka from each temple, else they will not be able to perform the puja. Your fate will be similar to that of Awami League Joint Secretary Mehboob ul Alam Hanif. Keep the money ready within a week’s time. Pay at the Kalinagar market. Place of transaction will be informed later.’

3. The letter further states, ‘If you tell about the letter to the administration, journalists or anyone else, your arms will be cut off. Your family will not be spared either. Tell this to all the temples around you; because we don’t know the names of all the temples. Telling the administration and the army and deceiving us will not help. You have to pay. If we don’t get paid, we’ll cut you to pieces. We are watching you.

4. These letters are dated 9th September 2024. Now they have been sent to the President and General Secretary of the Hindu Temples and Pooja Committee. After receiving these letters, 4 different temples in Khulna have contacted Dakop Police station and filed complaints by showing the letters.

5. After receiving the complaint, Sirajul Islam, officer-in-charge of the Police station said, “Investigation is going on about the origin of these letters. We will try to protect the temples. We are carrying out regular patrols along with army. Rural Police and central Police officers are patrolling 24 hours a day.”

6. General secretary of a temple said that after receiving the letter, he was very worried. He held a meeting of people in his area. People were of the opinion that it would be better not to organise the puja this year; but in the end, some suggested collective puja.

7. Some temple committees have decided not to organise Durgapuja due to the threat, while others have said they will conduct the puja peacefully.

8. Shekharchandra Goldar, President of Kamarkhola Public Durgapuja Festival Committee of Dakop, said that there it is possible that this year the puja will be organised on a small scale.

A few days ago, the Rashtriya Hindu Aghadi had demanded security from the Interim Government of Bangladesh for Durgapuja. Police personnel and soldiers should be deployed for security, so that criminals cannot create any disturbance during the puja.

Editorial Perspective

Genocide of Hindus has been happening, is happening and will continue to happen in Bangladesh. The fact is that Hindus in India and across the world have not done anything for them yet, are not doing anything now and will not do anything in the future too.

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