Kali idol, gold ornaments stolen from Bangladesh temple amid rising attacks on Hindu shrines

DHAKA: As concerns mount over the safety of places of worship for Hindus in Bangladesh, a Goddess Kali idol along with several ornaments and religious artefacts were stolen from the Uttar Kalibari Temple in Faridpur city, local media reported on Monday, citing temple authorities.

The theft reportedly occurred between around 10:30 pm on Saturday and 5:45 am on Sunday, according to the temple management committee.

The stolen valuables included the Goddess Kali idol, around 7-8 tolas of gold ornaments adorning it, small brass idols of Lord Vishnu, Radha-Krishna and Manasa, as well as a silver snake weighing approximately 8-10 tolas that was wrapped around a Shiva Linga, Bangladesh's leading newspaper 'The Daily Star' reported.

According to temple priest Debi Prasad Chakraborty, the Kali idol was placed on a white-marble idol of Shiva.

"The white-marble Shiva idol was left behind, while the unknown thief or thieves took away the Kali idol," he said, adding that the entire structure weighed approximately 40kg, with the Kali idol alone weighing at least 20kg.

Kushal Chakraborty, president of the temple management committee, said the CCTV cameras were not functioning, while the stolen items had not yet been recovered.

Confirming the incident, the Officer-in-Charge Mahmudul Hasan said, "Several police teams have already started working to identify and arrest those involved in the theft," The Daily Star reported.

The latest incident highlighted a troubling surge in attacks on Hindu temples and minority communities across Bangladesh, a trend that began during the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and has persisted under the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) administration. (IANS)

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