Bangladesh: Outrage as hot water, bricks hurled during Ganesh idol procession in Chittagong; WATCH viral video

In a disturbing incident on Friday, a procession of Hindu devotees carrying an idol of Lord Ganesha was violently attacked in the Kadam Mubarak area of Chittagong city, Bangladesh. The attack occurred just a day before the scheduled Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, sparking outrage and protests from the Hindu community.

The procession, organized by the ‘Batargalli Dhwapara Sarbajanin Puja Committee,’ was transporting the idol of Lord Ganesha in a van from the workshop of artisan Uttam Pal. As the devotees proceeded through Momin Road, near the Kadam Mubarak mosque, they were subjected to an unprovoked assault.

According to reports, hot water was deliberately thrown at the idol and the devotees from atop a high-rise building adjacent to the mosque. The attack immediately led to heated confrontations between the procession members and residents of the building. Eyewitnesses further reported that bricks were hurled at the devotees, intensifying the violence.

One young Hindu man, who sustained injuries during the attack, informed that another devotee had suffered a serious head injury. In a video posted by the Bangladesh Awami League, he was heard questioning, "Why are minorities being attacked?"

The attack on the peaceful procession quickly galvanized the local Hindu community. Hundreds of Hindus gathered at Momin Road and the nearby Jamal Khan ward in Chittagong, staging protests against the targeted violence. The situation grew tense as the protestors demanded justice and protection for the Hindu minority in Bangladesh.

In response, a large contingent of police and armed forces was deployed in the Kadam Mubarak area to prevent further escalation. Security personnel conducted a room-by-room search of the building from where the attack was launched, though it is unclear whether any arrests were made.

The members of the ‘Batargalli Dhwapara Sarbajanin Puja Committee’ expressed their shock and deep disappointment over the attack, calling it a malicious attempt to harm the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. This incident is part of a worrying trend of escalating violence against Hindus in Bangladesh following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Just days before this attack, a Hindu boy named Utsab Mandal was lynched by a Muslim mob in the Sonadanga residential area of Khulna city on allegations of blasphemy. The brutal killing of Mandal has further heightened tensions between religious communities.

Additionally, reports have surfaced that Muslim students in various parts of the country have forced 60 Hindu teachers, professors, and government officials to resign from their positions. Since the removal of Sheikh Hasina from power, at least 205 attacks have been reported on Hindu temples, shops, and businesses, reflecting a growing climate of fear and hostility against the Hindu minority.

This latest assault on Hindu devotees has sparked outrage both in Bangladesh and internationally. Hindu rights groups and activists have condemned the Bangladeshi authorities for failing to protect religious minorities.

Despite the rising violence against the Hindu community, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser to the interim government, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has downplayed the attacks, calling them "exaggerated." In a recent interview, Yunus stated that the violence is politically motivated rather than communal, attributing it to the political upheaval following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government.

Yunus argued that the attacks on Hindus were a byproduct of a larger political conflict, as Hindus in Bangladesh are widely perceived to be supporters of the now-deposed Awami League regime. "There is no clear distinction between Awami League supporters and Hindus," Yunus said, suggesting that the attacks were a continuation of the unrest targeting political factions rather than religious communities.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) and other organizations have called for immediate action to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice. The incident in Chittagong has only added to the growing concern over the safety of Hindus in the country, with many drawing parallels between the situation in Bangladesh and the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan.

Here's a look at some of the reactions on X in the wake of the viral video: