Buddha Statue Vandalized in Historic Bangladeshi Monastery: Community in Shock
Cumilla, Bangladesh | February 8, 2025 – A historic Buddhist monastery in Lalmai Upazila has been vandalized, leaving the local Buddhist community in distress and fear. Unidentified miscreants broke into the Dharmaduta Buddhist Monastery in the early hours of Tuesday, shattering a revered Buddha statue and stealing religious artifacts.
The attack has sparked widespread outrage and concerns over religious tolerance in Bangladesh, where the Buddhist minority has often faced marginalization.
Monastery Looted in Midnight Attack
According to police reports, the assailants forced their way into the century-old monastery after 2 AM, breaking through the main gate. They looted a rare ten-inch Buddha statue, five copper idols, and two IPS batteries, suggesting that the attack may have been motivated by both religious hostility and theft.
Following the attack, the monastery’s managing committee lodged a formal complaint with Lalmai Police Station on Wednesday.
Officer-in-Charge Shah Alam confirmed the incident and assured that an investigation is underway.
“The perpetrators carried out the attack under the cover of darkness. We are actively working to apprehend them and recover the stolen artifacts,” Alam stated.
A Deeply Wounded Community
The Dharmaduta Buddhist Monastery, which has stood for over a century as a symbol of spiritual heritage, has been left in ruins and fear.
Venerable Pragya Dipto, the presiding monk of the nearby Shakyamuni Pagoda, expressed deep sorrow over the desecration.
“This monastery has provided spiritual solace for generations. Seeing it attacked and looted is devastating. Our community now lives in fear and uncertainty,” he said.
The incident has sent shockwaves through Bangladesh’s Buddhist population, which remains a small but historically significant religious community in the country.
Concerns Over Religious Freedom and Protection
The attack has renewed fears over the safety of Buddhist religious sites in Bangladesh. Rights activists and community leaders have demanded immediate action from authorities to ensure such incidents do not become a pattern.
While Bangladesh has long prided itself on religious diversity, incidents targeting minority communities, including Hindus and Buddhists, have raised concerns about the protection of religious freedom.
Human rights activists argue that without swift justice, such attacks could embolden extremist elements and further marginalize minority faiths.
Call for Justice and Stronger Security Measures
Following the attack, Buddhist leaders and activists have urged the government to take the following actions:
- Enhance security at religious sites to prevent further attacks.
- Launch a transparent investigation to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.
- Recover stolen religious artifacts and return them to the monastery.
- Ensure stronger legal protections for religious minorities.
Community members fear that without accountability, such acts of vandalism may continue.
A Test for Bangladesh’s Religious Harmony
The desecration of the Dharmaduta Buddhist Monastery is not just an attack on a place of worship—it is an attack on Bangladesh’s religious and cultural heritage.
With growing international scrutiny on religious freedom in South Asia, the Bangladeshi government’s response to this incident will be crucial in upholding its commitment to peace, coexistence, and religious tolerance.
As authorities race to identify the culprits, the Buddhist community awaits justice, hoping that such acts of hatred will not go unpunished.
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