On Sunday, October 13, 2024, a shocking incident occurred during the Durga idol immersion procession in Old Dhaka’s Shakhari Bazar and Tanti Bazar areas. Devotees transporting idols to the Sadarghat for the traditional immersion were attacked with bricks and dirty water from the rooftop of Noor Supermarket. Multiple trucks carrying the idols were targeted as they passed, but it was only when one truck carrying a larger group of people stopped to protest that tensions escalated.
As the procession halted near the immersion site, more people joined the protest against the attacks, demanding the arrest of those responsible. Despite the presence of law enforcement, including the police and army, the authorities failed to apprehend the attackers, leading to frustration among the devotees. When the protesters attempted to enter the Noor Supermarket in search of the perpetrators, a confrontation with law enforcement ensued. The situation escalated around 11:30 PM, with both the army and police resorting to baton charges and firing several rounds of blank shots to disperse the crowd.
More than 100 members of the Hindu community were injured in the clashes, with many requiring treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Mitford Hospital. Eyewitnesses reported that even volunteers at the immersion site were attacked when they tried to intervene. Disturbingly, individuals recording the incident on their phones were forced to delete their footage by law enforcement personnel.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and the Hindu community is expressing outrage over the authorities’ apparent inaction in apprehending the attackers, further fueling concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh during these festive times.
This incident adds to a growing number of attacks on Hindu religious celebrations across Bangladesh in recent weeks. It follows similar incidents where idols were vandalized in various parts of the country, including Kishoreganj and Pabna, sparking fear and frustration among the Hindu minority community.