ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has raised a grave allegation that its centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was set on fire early Saturday morning. The incident occurred at the ISKCON Namhatta Centre, which includes the Shri Shri Radha Krishna Temple and Shri Shri Mahabhagya Lakshmi Narayan Temple.
Radharamn Das, the Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata, took to social media platform X to inform the public, stating, “ISKCON Namhatta Centre burned down in Bangladesh. The deities of Sri Sri Laxmi Narayan and all items inside the temple were burned down completely.” According to Das, the attack took place between 2-3 AM on Saturday when miscreants allegedly set fire to the temples. The temple is situated in Dhour village, under Turag Police Station jurisdiction in the Dhaka district.
Das further explained that the perpetrators lifted the tin roof of the temple and used petrol or octane to start the blaze. He provided the address of the affected centre: H-02, R-05, Ward-54, DNCC, Dhaka 1230.
ISKCON has voiced its concern over the escalating violence against its members, alleging that attacks on the community have been “unabated.” Despite ISKCON bringing the matter to the attention of Bangladesh’s interim government, the community has expressed frustration over the lack of action from local police and the administration to address their concerns.
ISKCON’s leadership has called for an immediate investigation and stronger measures to ensure the safety of its members and protect its centres in Bangladesh. The attack on the Dhaka centre is part of a broader pattern of rising violence against religious and cultural institutions in the region.
