On Monday, February 6th, 2023, Bangladesh’s police reported that some random people attacked Hindu gods and other religious materials in 14 different Hindu temples around the Thakurgaon district in the northwestern part of Bangladesh. There had been a strict answer from the police force and even the head of the Thajurgaon district that this type of vandalism was “outrageous” and those people who did that will be found and get the worst punishment ever. Also, some political officials stated that the motive of this attack was to “destabilize” the situation inside Bangladesh. It was evident that some Hindu leaders in Bangladesh would express their concern even Hindu population in Bangladesh is only 9%. However, I think that attacks on Hindu temples and vandalism are not only about the “destabilization” of the situation inside Bangladesh but also a good try to destabilize the India-Bangladesh relationship as since the independence of Bangladesh, both countries shared close cooperation in political, economic, and social structures where India would always support Bangladesh’s government and economic cooperation. It is important to understand that Bangladesh’s government was also worried and concerned on top levels about these attacks on Hindu temples, even though the Hindu minority in Bangladesh isn’t very big. That is why we can definitely see the quick, powerful, and threatening reaction of Bangladesh’s officials towards those people who carried out those attacks. For Bangladesh’s government, it is important to please the Hindu minority inside their country as it is an important aspect of tight India-Bangladesh relations, as India’s number one supporter and ally of Bangladesh and its government.
HR: “Independent” article