Saraswati Puja, one of the main religious festivals of the Hindu community, will be celebrated across the country on Wednesday. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magh, as Goddess Saraswati was born on this day. The day is called 'Vasant Panchami'. As Saraswati is considered as the Goddess of wisdom and knowledge, Hindu devotees, especially students, celebrate the Puja in different educational institutions and temples. 98 percent of the country's demand for medicine is produced locally: Health Minister President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have greeted the Hindu community on the occasion of Saraswati Puja. President Shahabuddin, in his message, said Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony. “I hope that with the united efforts of all, we will be able to build a knowledge-based, developed and prosperous 'Smart Bangladesh' declared by the Honorable Prime Minister on the path of building 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.” With Pahela Falgun-Valentine’s Day, the nation eyes a festive February 14 In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said “I hope that the harmony among all religions will be strengthened further in the days to come.” “On the occasion of the worship of Goddess Saraswati, I call upon all members of the Hindu community to engage themselves in the development of the country being devoted to acquiring knowledge.” Govt okays project to provide freelancing training to youths in 48 districts Meanwhile, like previous years, Jagannath University central Puja Udjapan Committee will also organise Saraswati Puja on the campus.

About 80 chartered flights have landed at the new international airport of India's holy city of Ayodhya for Monday’s partial opening of the controversial grand temple for one of Hinduism’s most revered deities, Lord Ram. Ayodhya’s airport can barely accommodate the influx of private jets. “The planes will depart after dropping guests,” airport manager Saurabh Singh said. The temple was built over an ancient razed mosque, and most political opposition leaders are boycotting the temple's opening, saying it doesn't befit a secular India. However, the list of attendees boasts some of India's most influential people: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Ahead of the upcoming general election, Modi’s Hindu nationalist party is using the elaborate consecration ceremony to lobby the country's Hindu majority. Read more: Ancient Temples of Bangladesh: Remembering Their Past Glory THE LEGEND OF RAM, THE PRINCE OF AYODHYA The temple will be the sacred abode of one of the Hindu pantheon's most popular gods Ram, who Hindus believe was born at the exact site in Ayodhya. Millions of Hindus worship Lord Ram with an intense belief that chanting his name in times of adversity will bring peace and prosperity, and most of those who practice Hinduism keep idols of Ram in their homes. Major Hindu festivals like Dussehra and Diwali are associated with mythological tales of Ram extolling the virtues of truth, sacrifice and ethical governance. The mythological Hindu epic “Ramayan," which tells the story of Ram’s journey from prince to king, has often been adapted in popular culture. One of the most-viewed fabled shows is the TV series “Ramayan” created in the 1980s which continues to have a faithful audience. Ram’s divinity is not only the dominant religious force in India but also part of the ancient cultural heritage in countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia. Read more: A Hindu temple built atop a razed mosque in India is helping Modi boost his political standing A TEMPLE RISES Spread over nearly 3 hectares, the temple — which is still being built— has an estimated cost of $217 million. It's made with pink sandstone, adorned with intricate carvings, and has 46 doors — 42 of which will have a layer of gold. Anil Mishra, a member of the trust overseeing the construction, said the temple blends traditional design with cutting-edge technology and is “crafted without the use of iron, steel, or cement." A 1.3-meter (4.25-foot) dark stone sculpture depicting Ram was installed in the temple’s inner sanctum for Monday’s consecration. The religious ritual of “Pran Pratishtha," which signifies giving life to the idol, will be conducted according to Hindu Vedic scriptures. The deity can then receive and bless devotees. After the ceremony, the temple will open to the public and an estimated 100,000 devotees are likely to visit daily, authorities say. AYODHYA, PAST AND PRESENT The city known for its narrow lanes crowded with Hindu pilgrims and shops selling miniature Ram idols, has been given a facelift with modern infrastructure and services. Ayodhya’s modest airstrip has grown into an expansive international airport with a 2.2-kilometer (about 1.4-mile) runway in the first phase. The clean railway station has a daily passenger capacity of about 50,000 people. “The historical and spiritual significance of Ayodhya makes it a compelling destination,” and a huge surge in demand is anticipated, said Ravi Singh, a representative of the Indian Hotels Company Limited. THE CONTROVERSY Ayodhya has been at the center of India’s turbulent politics and the Hindu majoritarian quest to redeem the country’s religious past for decades. Its diverse, multicultural past was overrun by strident Hindu nationalism after mobs demolished the 16th-century Babri mosque in 1992. Hindus won a prolonged legal battle in 2019, allowing them to build the temple. Hindus make up about 80% of India’s population but the country is also home to some 200 million Muslims who have frequently come under attack by Hindu nationalists. Modi has been the face of an unprecedented, and unapologetic, fusion of religion and politics in India and led the temple’s groundbreaking ceremony in 2020. Critics say the idea of a diverse, constitutionally secular state leading a Hindu religious ritual is deplorable. Most opposition leaders have declined the invitation, saying the event is being used for political campaigning by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which promised to build a Ram temple as part of its election strategy. Modi has asked people to publicly celebrate the consecration by lighting lamps at homes and temples. The message is clear: Mobilization of Hindu voters will be a key issue in the upcoming national election as Modi looks to extend his rule for a record third-consecutive term. Read more: India's Modi is set to open a controversial temple in Ayodhya in a grand event months before polls

Several noted minority community leaders, academics and anti-war crimes campaigners have pulled up six US congressmen for what they called “absolutely false projection” of the state of minorities in Bangladesh in a letter to President Biden, asking to take “appropriate measures” for banning Bangladeshi law enforcement and military personnel from participating in UN peacekeeping missions. They called it a “threat to the existing communal harmony in Bangladesh.”  Asked about the authenticity of the claim in the letter that “Since Sheikh Hasina's rise to power, the Hindu population has been halved,” Advocate Rana Dasgupta, leader of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, outright rejected it. “I will say this claim is a travesty of truth,” he said. Read more: Palbari Puja Mandap in Sherpur: Sign of communal harmony for over a century Referring to a number of surveys, he added, “Between 1947 and 1971, under Pakistani rule, a whopping 9.7% of the population declined.” Since Bangladesh became independent, over the last five decades, Hindu population decreased around 10 percent. This happened considerably when the country was ruled by BNP and Jamaat, he said. In response to such assertions in the letter from the US congressmen, Dasgupta said, “As the national election is approaching, a certain group has become very active.” Referring to earlier lobbying efforts by Jamaat, a political party which has proven record of collaborating with the Pakistani Military junta in 1971 in the acts of genocide, abduction, loot, arson, and rape, Dasgupta, also a prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, said: “With the singular objective to stop the war crimes trial and enjoy the culture of impunity, Jamaat spent money and struck an agreement with lobbyist groups overseas to get the backing of foreign governments in their favour.” Read: Jamaat demands the govt declare Ahmadiyyas 'non-Muslim' “On the international stage, a systematic smear campaign has been carried out against the trial process,” he said. The letter from the six congressmen also claims “Sheikh Hasina’s government also has persecuted Bangladesh’s minority Christian population – burning and looting places of worship, jailing pastors, and breaking up families when religious conversion occurs.” Leaders of the community including Nirmal Rozario, president of Bangladesh Christian Association, rejected this claim as well. “It is an outright lie. Rather, the reality is that with the return of AL, our community has been living in harmony – with assistance from the prime minister. The government’s development schemes connect the minorities as well,” he said. Eminent researcher and freedom fighter Ajoy Das Gupta, said, “A number of BNP leaders, including Rumeen Farhana, went vocal on social media, justifying the letter.” “BNP and Jamaat hold a sordid record of attacking minorities,” he added. Read more: ‘Hate campaign’ being run against Ahmadiyyas on Twitter, says member of community Calling such assertions “biased, a travesty of justice, and highly motivated,” the minority community leaders also called into question why the US congressmen did not bother to mention the “BNP-Jamaat sponsored hate campaign against minorities”, including a series of tweets posted from the verified account of Basherkella – known as a “Jamaat mouthpiece” – calling for “boycotting” the Ahmadiyya community.

The five-day Durga Puja, the largest festival of the Hindu community, comes to an end Wednesday with the solemn immersion of the Goddess Durga across the country. And after the hit that Bangladesh’s secular credentials, or its reputation for communal harmony, took during the same festival last year - with temples and Puja mandaps attacked in multiple districts, all triggered by a deliberate act of provocation in Cumilla - it is safe to say the entire country will feel relieved that this year’s Durga Puja will have passed without much incident. Fingers crossed of course, for the last 24 hours. Devotees will throng Puja mandaps to celebrate Bijoya Dashami, the last day of the festival, recite the mantras, offer flowers to the goddess Durga (pushpanjali) and pray for her blessings. The mandaps across the country have been decorated with beautiful idols, showcasing the goddess in all her glory. Bijoya Dashami is the special ceremony of reaffirming peace and good relations among people. On this day, families visit each other to share sweetmeats. Married Hindu women put vermilion on each other's foreheads on the occasion. Read: No security lapses for Durga Puja: Rab DG In Bangladesh this year, the religious festival is being celebrated at some 32,168 puja mandaps spread throughout the country, including 241 in capital Dhaka. In the capital, thousands of people are set to throng the Buriganga tomorrow to observe the final phase of the festival -- the immersion of the goddess Durga signifying her return to Kailash. Devotees in their tearful eyes will bid farewell to the mother deity and her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh – through the immersion of their idols in the water wishing Durga’s return next year. Meanwhile, there will be strict security measures in place so that Durga Puja ends peacefully. President Abdul Hamid has issued a message greeting the members of the country's Hindu community on the occasion. In his message, President Hamid said the main religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community is Durga Puja. The country’s Hindu community has been celebrating the puja amid huge enthusiasm and festivity with different rituals since ancient times. Also read: Durga puja: A festival that unites Bangladesh! Durga Puja is not just a religious festival, but also a social one, he added. “Communal harmony is the eternal tradition of Bengalis. This tradition must be carried forward in our overall progress together,” he urged all. The five-day festival started on October 1 with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga marking Sashthi. Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival also known as Sharadaya (autumnal) Durgotsob, is the worship of "Shakti" [divine force] embodied in goddess Durga. It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine.   Close to 8 percent of Bangladesh’s more than 160 million people are Hindu.

Two idols including the idol of Hindu goddess Kali were vandalised by unidentified miscreants  at the Sarbajanin Kali Temple in Kanainagar of Mongla upazila in Bagerhat district. Miscreants vandalised the idols some time on Saturday night, said police. The incident came to light on Sunday morning when the priests of the temple entered it for worshipping and found the broken parts of the two idols lying on the floor. On information, Asif Iqbal, assistant superintendent of Bagerhat police visited the temple in the morning. Read: Rangamati admin sets new octane-run autorickshaw fares considering price hike Police also detained three people—Rahat Chowdhury, 20, Nayan Munshi, 24 and Asif Khan, 22 from the village in connection with their suspected involvement in the vandalism. Additional police forces have been deployed to ensure security of the temple. A tense situation was prevailing in the area following the incident. Manirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mongla Police Station, said police are investigating the incident.  

A Narail court on Monday placed five people who were arrested Sunday in a case filed over vandalising Hindu houses and shops in Narail over a Facebook post on remand for three days . Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Morshedul Alam passed the order after investigation officer in the case Mizanur Rahman produced the accused before the court and appealed for seven day in remand. The remanded are Masum Billah,32, son of Sadekur Rahman, Md Sayed Sheikh, 25, son of Aminuddin, Rezaul Sheikh, 40, son of Barik Sheikh, Rasel Mridha, 38, son of Eshak Sheikh, and Kabir Gazi, 40, son of Azizul Gazi. The accused were arrested on Sunday night after a case was filed against 250 anonymous people in connection with the vandalism of houses and shops and attacks on two temples at Sahapara village in Lohagara upazila, said Abu Hena Milon, Officer-in-Charge of Lohagara police station. Also read: Narail vandalism: College student put on 3-day remand On Friday, an angry mob went on a rampage in Lohagara upazila of Narail district damaging at least two houses of the Hindu community and several shops at Digholia Bazar following the Facebook post by a youth named Akash Saha. According to police, the college student belonging to the Hindu community posted a remark on Facebook hurting religious sentiments of Muslims on Friday. As the news spread like wildfire, a group of local people thronged Digholia Bazar and vandalised two houses and six shops that night. They also vandalised chairs and sound boxes of Shahapara temple and tin roof of Akhrabari temple during the mayhem. Later police rushed to the spot and took control of the situation. Also read: Narail vandalism: Youth held over Facebook post ‘hurting religious sentiment’ A case was filed against Akash Shaha for hurting religious sentiment by Salah Uddin Kachi Sardar from Dighalia village at Lohagra police station on Saturday. Akash Shaha was arrested from Khulna on the same night and was placed on a three-day remand by a Narail court on Monday.

A Hindu house in Chitalmari upazila in Bagerhat came under attack from an infuriated Muslim mob on Sunday over an earlier altercation regarding derogatory remarks by India's ruling BJP leaders about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The house of Dipak Sarkar, 33, at Chingari village in the upazila was attacked around 2 pm by a group but no one was hurt as the residents managed to flee, said KM Ariful Haque, Superintendent of Bagerhat police to UNB. The attackers later blocked a road in Kunia area but police took control of the situation by detaining Dipak Sarkar, he said. Also read: India’s ‘prophetic' trouble getting bigger Additional police have been deployed to keep the situation under control in the area, said SP Ariful Haque. According to police, a week ago Dipak Sarkar got into an altercation with some local Muslims at a tea stall in the Kunia Bazar area over the Indian ruling political party spokesperson’s comment on the prophet. The attacking group was returning from a human chain held at neighbouring district Gopalganj protesting the incident in India, said SP Ariful Haque. Bimal Sarkar, a 70-year-old neighbour of Dipak, said :“Some hundreds of people attacked the house, vandalized it, and set fire to one part of it. The members of neighbouring Hindu families took shelter at their Muslim neighbour Anis Rahman’s house out of fear.” Also read: Protest rallies held in Bangladesh to condemn remarks against Prophet Lenin Mozumdar, Biva Rani and some other Hindu neighbours of Dipak said they are immensely frightened since the attack.

The High Court on Sunday sought to hear opinions of amici curiae (friends of the court) on the provision of  a law barring Hindu women from inheriting paternal property. The bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order during a hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard. The amici curiae of the court are Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, senior advocate Prabir Niyogi, senior advocate Subrata Chowdhury and senior advocate Md Kamrul Haque Siddiqui.  Apart from them, the court will also hear the opinions of lawyer Tapan Chakraborty, who conducts civil cases on inheritance of followers of Sanatan religion and journalist Pulak Ghatak, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Law Reform Committee. The court also made five human rights organisations complementary petitioners for the writ to hear their opinion in this regard. Also read: ACC official Sharif’s termination: Writ petition filed seeking probe The organisations are- Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), Manusher Jonno Foundation, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Naripokkho. As there are constitutional questions involved with the writ, HC sent the documents to the Chief Justice requesting to form a larger bench to hear it. The larger bench will hear the opinions of amici curiae and the five organisations, said barrister Khayrul Alam Chowdhury, lawyer presenting the petitioner’s side. On February, 13, Ananya Das Gupta, daughter of late Ashok Das Gupta filed the writ petition at the High Court challenging the legality of the provision on Sanatan Hindu religion follower women not receiving any share of inherited assets from father. Also read: Sishu Bokta Rafiqul, another indicted in DSA case On February 14, the court issued a rule in this regard. Eight respondents including the Cabinet Division secretary, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs secretary, Religious Affairs secretary and Hindu Religious Welfare Trust were asked to reply to the rule within a week.

Thousands of protesters on Monday blocked traffic at Shahbagh intersection for sveral hours to denounce the recent violence against minority Hindus in different parts of the country. Joined by Dhaka University students the protesters from the Hindu community threatened to continue the blockade indefinitely. However, around 2pm, they called off the sit-in programme following assurance from the authorities. Also read: Quran desecration: Protesters clash with police in Baitul Mukarram area The protesters were seen chanting slogans demanding a separate ministry for the minorities and asking the administration to answer why the temples were attacked. Their demands include:  Formation of a special tribunal and investigate the negligence of local administration, ensure exemplary punishment for those involved in the attacks ,formation of separate ministry and commission for the country's minorities ,properly compensate the victim families and businesses , povide necessary treatment to those who got injured in the attacks , immediately rebuild the damaged temples, houses, and other establishments ,  make new law to ensure highest punishment for communal attacks , allocate 15 per cent of the country's GDP for minority communities,, revamp Hindu Religious Welfare Trust, release all Hindus arrested since the 13 October incident and compensate them , take measures to prevent the spread of communalism and prevent extremists and anti-independence forces from tarnishing Bangladesh's image. They vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met. Also read: Hindu people demonstrate in Noakhali The blockade triggered severe traffic gridlock in Shahbagh, Paltan, Science Lab, Elephant Road, Bangla Motor and the adjacent areas. Earlier on 13 September, a reported demeaning of the holy Quran stoked communal tensions in Cumilla. Following the incident, attacks were carried out on puja mandaps, temples, houses, and business establishments belonging to the Hindu community in at least 10 districts of the country.

The Hindus in the country will celebrate the Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion heralding the advent of goddess Durga. Mahalaya that is considered as ceremonial invocation of goddess Durga is observed seven days prior to the initiation of the Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community. Hindus believe the earth prepares itself and welcomes the coming of the Goddess and her children, through the celebration. Also read: Durga Puja: Covid crumbles market for Kurigram artisans Durga Puja will begin on October 11 with different rituals on the day of Maha Shashthi. MahanagarSarbajanin Puja Committee has arranged special programmes of Mahalaya at Dhakeshwari National  Temple. On this day, Hindus remember and pay homage to the deceased ancestors by performing a puja, and offering Brahmins clothes, food and sweets in their name. Also read: Durga Puja: PM donates Tk 3 crore