The Sri Sri Radhamadhab Zewr Temple is located in Chowmuhani, the largest business hub of Noakhali. Hundreds of people entered the temple on 15 October, breaking the main entrance and launched indiscriminate vandalism. Ananta Kumar Bhowmik, manager of the temple, was a witness of the mayhem. Since the attack, the septuagenarian still looks terrified.
Ananta Kumar Bhowmik told Prothom Alo the attackers vandalised the temple, and looted the valuables. The miscreants also snatched away money and gold donated by devotees and even took the water pump of the temple.
As many as 12 temples and puja mandaps including Sri Sri Radhamadhab Zewr Temple were attacked and vandalised on that day. Shops and homes were also destroyed. Two people were killed and more than 50 people including the officer-in-charge and four policemen of Beguamganj police station were injured.
Members of the Hindu community who became victims of the communal violence blamed the police and the administration for failing to tackle the situations.
They said since four people were killed in Chandpur following the Cumilla incident, there should have additional security measures in Noakhali on Friday, the last day of Durga Puja or the day of the idol immersion. But it was not in Noakhali’s Chowmuhani. The attacks on temples and puja mandaps continued for long, but police arrived in the spot late. Only two police members were deployed at each temple to ensure security. Many police members left the temple and the puja mandaps after most of puja mandaps performed the idol immersion by 12:00pm.
The attacks in Noakhali happened following the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran at the Hindu temple during worship in the neighbouring district Cumilla. The mayhem had continued for 3-4 hours.
According to locals and police sources, an announcement for protest was made in Ekhlaspur area, south of Chowmuhani, in the previous day. Posters were pasted in the west side of Chowmuhani intersection, Banglabazar.
People brought out a small procession from mosques in neighbouring areas after Friday prayers and gathered at the Chowmuhani intersection. The procession then marched to Chowmuhani. Processions were also brought out from Chowmuhani. Police mainly stood guard on the DB road area, the business hub of Chowmuhani.
As police obstructed the mob on the DB road area, the demonstrators split into several groups and spread to various streets on the north and south sides. They then attacked and vandalised temples and puja mandaps indiscriminately. Most of the people participating in the attacks were teenagers and youths.
Visiting the Radhamadhab Zewr Temple on Tuesday, glass shards were found lying everywhere, broken donation boxes and idols lying on the ground. Not a single window was left intact.
The temple is located within 300 yards of the DB road. Describing the attacks, temple manager Ananta Kumar Bhowmik told Prothom Alo he had never seen such a terrifying scene as before. The attacks took place in the afternoon and the police arrived at night, he added.
Nirmal Das, member of the temple managing committee, said they made phone calls to various places during the attack but the police didn’t take any step. Nobody came to help either. And police had arrived after the vandalism.
A little further from Radhamadhab Zewr Temple is the Ranchandra Deb Ashram. Immersion of idols was performed at 12:0pm there. A volunteer on condition of anonymity told Prothom Alo police left the spot after the idol immersion. When police were departing, they said, “You people stay safe, we are leaving.”
The attackers set fire to two vehicles of the Ashram and a business establishment in the front. Manik Lal, one of the Ashram’s managers, told Prothom Alo there were several hundred attackers. The vandals broke the CCTV first. At that time, he along with another person hid in the bathroom. It was during the afternoon and police arrived in the spot around 8.00pm, Manik Lal added.
Priest of the Ashram, Biplab Chakravarty, was injured in the attack. He told Prothom Alo there they received no response when they called police during the attack.
There has been a Durga Puja celebration on Gonipur Pilot Girls' High School ground for many years. No one had ever thought there would have happened an attack on the puja mandap. Spell of blood was still on the wall of the school. The attackers also broke the CCTV there.
Two attacks carried out at the Iskcon temple. Raspriya Das, principal of the temple, said the first attack took place around 3:00pm. At that time, there was a journalist at his room and he called many police officials and the hotline. Police came to the spot around 3:30pm and left after some time. Then the second attack took place.
Now police provide round-the-clock security. This correspondent talked to Noakhali superintendent of police (SP) Md Shahidul Islam on Monday at the Lokanath Temple over the police inaction on the day of the attack.
The SP said the allegation was not true. Police rushed to the spots whenever they received report on any incident. Perhaps, they were little in number. Police were mainly vigil on the main road where many businesses operate. Two police members were deployed at temples and puja mandap until 5:00pm, Shahidul Islam claimed.
When the SP was telling this, the caretaker of the Lokhnath Temple, Kulbhushan Kuri, said from a little distance, “Police left us immediately after the immersion of idols. There were no police. Police and administration didn’t help us either.”
In reply, the SP said there was written instructions on the deployment of police at puja mandap until 5:00am. They would look into the matter why it happened.
The previous day, an announcement was made on the protest organised by the mob under the banner of 'Towhidi Janata'. Whether there was enough preparation to tackle the situation.
In reply, the SP told Prothom Alo the officer-in-charge (OC) of Begumganj police station informed him about the announcement through mike and the leaflet distribution in Banglabazar. Security was heightened in those two areas. That’s why no untoward incident happened there. However, those who made the announcement and distributed the leaflets have not been identified as yet, he added.
Noakhli deputy commissioner Md Khorshed Ali told Prothom Alo the administration was on alert throughout the time. A platoon of Border Guard Bangladesh and three magistrates were deployed along with police. More magistrates and three BGB platoons were also deployed later, he added.
Though the local administration denied the allegation of negligence, Awami League’s Begumganj unit president and Noakhali Zila Parishad chairman ABM Zafrullah told Prothom Alo, “The allegation of police inaction brought by the people of the Hindu community is true. I myself was a witness.”
He said 25-30 youths brought out a procession from Kacharibazar mosque in front of him. There were four policemen but they did not tried to stop them. Likewise, police took no action despite procession was brought out from Chowmuhani Bazar Jame mosque, ABM Zafrullah added.
Meanwhile, the police probe committee formed over the incidents started working on Monday. After vising the Isckon temple on Monday, additional deputy inspector general (Chattogram rang) Md Saiful Islam said how the incident was unfolded, whoever are involved and behind it would be found out. Whether there was any negligence from police would also be scrutinised, he added.
This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna