Unidentified miscreants vandalised under-construction Durga idols in Atwari (Panchagarh district) overnight, with figures of Goddess Durga, Kartik and Ganesh thrown into a pond. Separate reports describe damage to idols in Mirzapur upazila and Galandi Bazar as preparations for Durga Puja continue.
What is known about the incidents
Idols thrown into a pond in Atwari
The idols in Atwari were still being made for the upcoming festival. The figures of Goddess Durga, Kartik and Ganesh were thrown into a pond overnight. The available account does not say when the damage was discovered or provide details of an investigation.
Idol-making is a gradual process for artisans, who shape and finish figures in the weeks before Puja. The work is part of a wider preparation at temples and community mandaps, where organisers get ready to receive worshippers. When idols are damaged before they are complete, artisans may face disruption to that work, while communities are left concerned about preparations for the festival.
Separate reports from Mirzapur and Galandi Bazar
New Age Bangladesh reported that at least four under-construction Durga idols were vandalised at a temple in Mirzapur upazila. The report concerns a separate incident from the vandalism in Atwari.
Another unfinished idol was reported vandalised at a community mandap at Galandi Bazar. The account does not identify its source or provide further details about the damage. These reports concern different locations and should be read separately: the Atwari incident, the report from Mirzapur and the report from Galandi Bazar.
Community mandaps are central to preparations because they provide a place for people to gather for worship. In the run-up to Puja, organisers and artisans work towards having idols and venues ready for the festival days. Damage at this stage can therefore affect both the practical work of preparation and worshippers’ sense of security, though the accounts do not describe the extent of disruption at any of the locations.
Minority group condemns the vandalism
Movement calls for government protection
Bangladesh’s Minority Rights Movement, সংখ্যালঘু অধিকার আন্দোলন, condemned the vandalism. According to the Bangladesh Minority Rights Movement, the act was not an isolated incident but a threat to Hindus’ religious freedom and safety nationwide. That is the group’s assessment of the incident and wider risks; its statement does not identify who was responsible.
The movement demanded protection from the government. Minority groups want the administration to safeguard temples and community mandaps as worshippers and organisers prepare for Puja. Their call also puts attention on what steps authorities may take to address concerns about safety during the festival period.
Context of reported attacks since 2024
Attacks on Hindu minorities across Bangladesh have been reported repeatedly since Sheikh Hasina’s government fell in August 2024, during the interim government’s tenure. These reports form the wider context in which minority groups have raised concerns about safety.
Minority groups allege that Hindu homes and shops were attacked and looted. Those claims are allegations by the groups and are not established details of the idol vandalism in Atwari. The separate accounts of damage to idols should not be taken as confirmation of those wider claims.
Calendar and next steps before Shashthi
Durga Puja dates in October 2026
The 2026 Puja calendar begins with Mahalaya on 10 October. Shashthi, which marks the start of the main worship period, falls on 16 October, followed by Maha Saptami on 17 October. The main days run until Vijayadashami on 20-21 October.
The timing makes the reported damage significant for communities still preparing idols and mandaps. With Shashthi approaching, there is limited time before the main worship period begins. The incidents have brought renewed attention to the security of places where idols are being prepared for worship.
What to watch before Shashthi
The accounts available for this report do not include a response from the administration, an official assurance, arrests or investigation steps. The Minority Rights Movement’s demand is for government protection; attention before Shashthi will be on whether authorities address that demand and communicate security measures for temples and community mandaps.
The perpetrators remain unidentified, and no community should be blamed without evidence.
