By Staff Correspondent
Ghatail, Tangail | Special Report | 04/08/2026
Unknown assailants have allegedly vandalised Hindu idols at two temples in Bangladesh’s Tangail district, raising concern among local residents and members of the Hindu community.The incidents were reported on Monday morning in the Koitola area, located between Naushala Union and Dighalkandi Union of Ghatail upazila.
According to local residents, idols at the Naushala Sarbojonin Durga Temple and the Shri Shri Kali Temple in Bade Koitola were found damaged. The incidents are believed to have occurred sometime during the early hours of the morning. Residents discovered the vandalism later in the morning and alerted others in the area. Members of the law enforcement agencies subsequently visited the sites and inspected the damaged idols. Gopal Chandra Sahabaj of Naushala and Amal Chandra Sutradhar of Koitola were among those who provided information about the incident to local sources.
Sasthi Rani, a resident of Naushala, said she noticed the damaged idols while she was preparing to send her children to school.
“I saw that the idols inside the temple had been broken and immediately informed others,” she said. Another local resident, Basanti Rani of Bade Koitola, said she noticed the damage early in the morning while travelling toward a temple in the neighbouring Paitakandi area. She later learned that idols at two temples in the locality had been vandalised.
The incident also drew the attention of local Hindu community representatives. Sachin Arun Joardar, a member of the Ghatail Upazila Puja Celebration Committee, visited the locations after receiving information about the vandalism and spoke with residents about the situation. The incidents have caused concern among members of the local Hindu community, particularly because the two temples are places of regular worship for residents of the surrounding villages.
Ghatail police have confirmed that the vandalism took place. Officer-in-Charge Mustafa Rahman said that no formal complaint had yet been submitted by the temple committees. Police, however, said they had initiated an investigation on their own to determine who was responsible for damaging the idols.
“We are investigating the incident and working to identify those involved,” the officer said, adding that no suspect had been identified so far.
Authorities are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the vandalism and determine whether the two incidents were connected. Local residents have urged the authorities to investigate the matter promptly and ensure adequate security around the temples to prevent similar incidents in the future.
