Bangladesh’s interim government and Muslim bodies have denied permission for Hindus to celebrate Durga Puja across the country citing poor security arrangements and threats. The puja committees have been asked to maintain silence during Namaaz offerings.
The directives came amid reports of Durga idol vandalism from several locations across the nation. In Kishoreganj’s Batrish Gopinath Jiur Akhara, a brand new idol of the Goddess was vandalised on Thursday early morning.
Bangladesh’s Comilla district, a newly-constructed Durga idol was vandalised and the donation box of the temple was looted.
In the Narail district, Islamists attacked a Durga temple in Mirapara two days ago.
Meanwhile, top government sources said the puja committee have been asked to pay Rs 5 lakh each as ‘jizya’ taxes (a tax paid by non-Muslims to Muslim rulers in exchange for protection and the right to practice their religion) via written communications ahead of the Durga Puja from October 9.
The sources said an alarmingly large number of committees had backed out from organising puja beforehand due to the taxes.
The developments came to the fore at a time when the nation’s interim government announced the recalling of five envoys on Wednesday, including the ambassador to neighbouring India in a major diplomatic reshuffle, people familiar with the matter said.
The foreign ministry ordered envoys in Brussels, Canberra, Lisbon, New Delhi and the permanent mission to the United Nations in New York to return to the capital, Dhaka, an official said on the condition of anonymity.
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