Buddha Statue Vandalized in Historic Buddhist Monastery in Bangladesh

CHT DESK:

In a brazen act of desecration, unidentified assailants have shattered a Buddha statue and looted several others from the revered Dharmaduta Buddhist Monastery in Lalmai Upazila, Cumilla, Bangladesh.

The audacious attack, which occurred in the dead of night, has plunged the local Buddhist community into a state of trepidation and anguish.

According to Shah Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Lalmayi Police Station, the monastery’s managing committee lodged a complaint on Wednesday, detailing the theft and vandalism.

The perpetrators allegedly broke through the monastery’s gate after 2 AM on Tuesday, absconding with a rare ten-inch Buddha statue, five copper idols, and two IPS batteries.

Venerable Pragya Dipto, the presiding monk at the adjacent Shakyamuni Pagoda, lamented the egregious violation, emphasizing the monastery’s historical significance.

“Dharmaduta Buddhist Monastery has stood for over a hundred years, serving as a beacon of spiritual solace. This desecration has left us in a state of palpable fear,” he declared.

The brazen nature of the attack has exacerbated concerns among Bangladesh’s Buddhist minority, who have historically faced episodes of persecution and marginalization.

Community leaders have called for swift action to apprehend the culprits and ensure the sanctity of their places of worship.