Atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh is just not stopping. Islamists have threatened Hindu temples in Khulna that they won’t be allowed to organise Durga Puja if they don’t pay Tk 5 lakh. In Khulna district, several Hindu temples has received anonymous letters threats that they will not be allowed to celebrate Durga Puja if they don’t make the payment. The letters given to the puja celebration committees linked with many temples said that there will be severe consequences if they don’t make the payment.
The letter said that of they tell about this to the administration or media, they will be beheaded. It also said that if the money is not paid, the recipient’s fate will be like what happened with Hanif’s project.
Notably, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif’s house was looted for several days. The Bengali letter mentioned in the top, “Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem”. After that it is addressed to “President/General Secretary”, with and underlined blank space to write the name of the temple by hand, followed by printed words “Puja Mandir”
The text of the letter said, “Listen, if you want to perform Durga Puja in 2024, you will have to pay a contribution of five lakh taka from each temple. Otherwise, you will not be able to organise puja in any way. As was done in Hanif’s project, your fate will be same. Keep all the money ready within a week. Give the money in a place in Kalinagar market as you will be told. Will inform you of the place later. If you tell these things to the administration, journalists or anyone else, remember that you will be cut like taro stem. Your family will also not be spared. Tell all other nearby temples secretly as we don’t know the names of all temples. There will be no benefit in the administration and the army tricking us, the money will have to be paid. In the name of Allah, if we don’t get money, we will cut you into pieces. We are watching you”
The letter is dated 7 September 2024. The letters started reaching to the presidents and general secretaries of several Hindu temples and Puja Committees on Wednesday, raising concerns among the Hindu community in the Muslim-majority country which has seen the increase of fundamental Islamists after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government. However, the same computer-printed letter has been sent to various temples in yellow envelopes.
On Friday, in Khulna, four different temples approached the Dakop police station, and a general diary entry was made. Officer-in-Charge Sirajul Islam said, ‘GD was made from four temples on Friday about that flyer and we are investigating. Efforts are being made to protect the temple from our side. We are regularly patrolling from the police station along with the army team. The village police and union police officers are on round-the-clock patrol. The general secretary of one of the temples said that after receiving the letter, they are very anxious and concerned about the matter. They held a meeting with the people in the area.
In the meeting, many people said that it would be better to not organise Puja in 2024. They decided to go with the rituals and celebrations together. According to the media reports, some temple committees have decided to not organise Durga Puja due to the threat, while some others have decided to keep it low key.
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