Don't feel safe: Bangladesh ISKCON priest after 14 idols, cash, valuables stolen

A major theft was reported at the Sri Sri Pagal Shankar ISKCON temple in Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh, where thieves broke in during the early hours of Monday and stole 14 idols, two donation boxes, ornaments of gold and silver, and several items used in rituals.

According to Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo, the incident in the temple in Nasirnagar Upazila took place between 2 am and 3 am. Thieves broke the locks of five rooms inside the temple complex. The priest of the temple, expressed anguish and displeasure over the incident, asking, "What is our crime? Why are we being subjected to such torture again and again? We don't feel safe."

The theft came to light around 4 am on Monday when temple priest Adi Shishya went to the main gate to perform Mangal Aarti and noticed that multiple locks had been broken. He informed temple service chief Sukhada Balaram Das, following which police and administrative officials inspected the site on Tuesday morning.

Back in 2017, a gang of robbers broke into the premises of the Nasirnagar ISKCON temple and stole six idols, along with cash and ornaments, according to a report in the Dhaka Tribune.

14 IDOLS, GOLD, SILVER, HARMONIUM STOLEN FROM BANGLADESH ISKCON TEMPLE

Temple authorities said that of the 14 stolen idols, six were made of brass and eight were of stone. Other stolen items include a silver shoe, a flute, bronze utensils, a harmonium, a bucket, a brass seat, brass glasses, cash from two donation boxes. The priest said that 20,000 Taka, gold ornaments, a water motor and two donation boxes were also stolen.

Temple priest Lipi Rani Gop told Prothom Alo, "What is our crime? Why are we being subjected to such torture again and again? We don't feel safe. If we felt safe, then why would there be theft and robbery in our temple?"

Another resident, Shilpa Rani Malakar, said, "I was in Madhabpur yesterday. When I returned, I saw the lock of my room broken. Around 20,000 Taka in cash and gold ornaments were looted. I have no husband or children. I serve the Lord."

Temple service chief Sukhada Balaram Das said, "The idols of my temple were stolen last night. In addition, cash, gold ornaments and a pure water motor were taken away. We are extremely concerned about this incident."

WHAT HAVE POLICE, OFFICIALS SAID ABOUT THEFT AT BANGLADESH ISKCON?

According to the Prothom Alo report, Nasirnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shahina Nasrin said it is initially believed that the thieves targeted the donation boxes. While three CCTV cameras are installed in the temple area, only one was operational at the time. Footage shows a suspect wrapped in a cloth, which made identification difficult.

Police Superintendent Shah Muhammad Abdur Rouf told the newspaper that the idols were stolen by cutting through the grill, and confirmed that a case is being filed. "Multiple police teams are working on the matter," he said.

Upon receiving the news, BNP candidate and Upazila BNP president MA Hannan, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate AKM Muhammad Aminul Islam and many others visited the scene on Tuesday morning. The newspaper reported that they demanded action against those involved in the incident. Police said that the process of filing a case in the theft case is underway.

RISE IN ATTACK ON HINDUS, THEIR TEMPLES DURING YUNUS REGIME

The theft of idols and valuables from the ISKCON temple follows incidents of the rising trend of attacks on Hindus and their places of worship in Bangladesh under the interim regime of Muhammad Yunus.

Such instances have been on a steady uptick ever since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina regime following the widespread protests in 2024.

In the first three days after Hasina's exit on August 5, over 200 instances of attacks on minorities were reported and at least five Hindus were killed.

At least 11 Hindus had been killed in 35 days between December 2025 and January 2026.

New Delhi's Ministry of External Affairs in February 2025 said that at least 152 attacks on temples had been reported since August 2024.

For instance, in December 2024, miscreants attacked three temples and vandalised eight idols in Bangladesh's Mymensingh and Dinajpur districts. In June 2025, a Hindu temple in Dhaka was razed to the ground, ostensibly as part of an official drive.

Last week, a Bangladesh court ordered the commencement of trial against Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson of the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, who was arrested in November 2024. Das, a former ISKCON leader, is facing sedition charges and has been in custody since his arrest.

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