Hindu community leaders on Friday demanded not only a five-day protection during the Durga Puja but also a round-the-year protection for the religious minorities and the places of their worship.
They said that attacks on temples and idols had already been reported from 13 districts during the preparations for their largest religious festival to be celebrated across the country from September 28 to October 2.
They came up with the remarks at a press conference, jointly organised by the Mohanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, at the Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital Dhaka.
Mohanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee president Jayanta Kumar Deb read out a written statement and said that attacks on Durga idols and temples had occurred in several districts during the preparations for the festival.
The districts were Kushtia, Chattogram, Kurigram, Satkhira, Jhenaidah鈥檚 Shailkupa, Netrakona, Gaibandha, Panchagarh, Jamalpur, Natore, Gazipur, Manikganj, and Chapainawabganj.
He pointed out that law enforcement agencies took quick action and arrested many of the perpetrators.
鈥榃e do not want to see these attacks during the puja,鈥� Jayanta said.
鈥業t is not enough to think about the security for the five days of the puja. If we want to build a discrimination-free Bangladesh, we must think about ensuring security for all the 365 days,鈥� added Jayanta.
He also said that pujas would be held at 259 mandaps in the Dhaka metropolitan city while the past year saw the puja at 252 mandaps.
Referring to available data, Jayanta said that a total of 33,355 pujas would be held across the country while 31,461 were held in the past year.
He also demanded of the government to announce a three-day public holiday for the Durga Puja on Ashtami, Navami and Dashami.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad president Basudev Dhar alleged that many minority leaders and individuals across the country faced 鈥榝alse, sweeping and baseless鈥� cases.
He demanded the withdrawal of those cases.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Unity Council issued a statement expressing concern over the recent attacks on temples and idols.
Citing the nine incidents of attack from September 2 to 23, the statement said that those incidents increased fear and anxiety among the worshipers.
The council drew attention of the government and the administration and demanded strict actions to maintain the law and order during their festival.
