December 6, 1992 – This is the date when Hindu organizations mark ‘Shaurya Diwas’. However, on this very day, the anti-Hindu ecosystem tries to make Hindus feel that they have destroyed the place of worship of another religion.
The truth is that that disputed structure was built by Islamic invaders after demolishing the Ram Temple. This same leftist-liberal gang forgets what was happening during this time in Bangladesh when Hindus were struggling for Ram Temple.
When the struggle for the Ram temple was underway in India and mere rumours about the demolition of the disputed Babri structure had spread (long before the demolition itself), violence against Hindus had already started in Bangladesh.
Hindus fought for 5 centuries and obtained the right to the Ram Temple through judicial means, but the Islamist crowd did not follow rules and regulations.
2nd November 1989 – This was the day when symbolically the first stone for the Ram Temple was laid at the disputed site. As soon as the news reached Bangladesh, violence began.
In October 1990, 26 months before the demolition, a rumour was spread by the media of Bangladesh that the disputed Babri structure had been demolished in India.
The media there also played a big role in this. The atmosphere in Bangladesh at that time can be understood from the fact that in 1988, the then-dictatorial President Hussain Muhammad Ershad declared Islam as the official religion of Bangladesh. Now comes the day of 30th October, 1990.
Irshad was addressing a youth conference at ‘Bang Bhawan’ that day. He was saying that while he is there there will be no violence against minorities.
At the same time, a mob of fundamentalist Muslims was attacking Hindu shops. The mob targeted Gauri Math, which was situated to the south of ‘Bang Bhawan’, that is, at a distance of a few kilometres from Ershad’s programme.
Properties belonging to Hindus were being set on fire. The ‘Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities’ (HRCBM) said in its report that all this happened in front of the police administration.
The report said that the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh in 1989-90 cannot be called a riot because it was carried out by a single party, like in 1964.
The then-ruling parties were also involved in these atrocities. In 1992, Jamaat-e-Islami, an ally of the ruling party BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party), was itself involved in the violence.
The report states that in 1989-90 alone, more than 1000 women were raped, hundreds of temples were demolished and houses of Hindu minorities were looted and set on fire.
On the night of 6th December 6, 1992, terror was unleashed on Hindus in Chittagong. 3 children were burnt alive in Qutubdia. After this, violence spread in the capital Dhaka and other parts of the country.
HBCUC (Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council) visited the ground and prepared a report and ascertained the damage. This report revealed that 28,000 houses, 3,500 temples/religious institutions and 2,500 commercial establishments of Hindus were either damaged or completely demolished.
Not a single Hindu shop was left in Shankhari Bazaar in Old Dhaka. In Sylhet district, the minorities were treated so badly that many of their future generations will remember this. Taufeed Ahmed, the then MP from Bhola and Narul Islam Nahid, Secretary of All Party Alliance, believed that the figures given above were less. Meaning the atrocities were more than this. The women were not only gang-raped but were also forced to walk naked on the streets.
Many underage girls were also raped, including girls as young as 5 years old. In some villages, no woman aged between 5 years and 70 years was left behind.
Taslima Nasreen has also mentioned in her novel ‘Lajja’ how the Dhakeshwari temple was attacked in 1992. The main temple was burnt.
The ‘Natmandir’ built for the entertainment of Gods and Goddesses was also set on fire. Sridam Ghosh located near the temple was also burnt.
Madhav Gudiya Math was also demolished. Jayakali temple was also not left out. Everything was destroyed after entering the premises of Brahmo Samaj.
Shoni Akhara temple was looted in Demra. There was devastation as far as the eye could see in Brihabhadra and Loki Bazaar. Shops selling umbrellas and jewelery were looted on Islampur Road. 300 terrorists together targeted 25 houses. The names of many Hindu shops were replaced with Urdu names.
Writer Taslima Nasreen has mentioned these incidents in ‘Lajja’. She writes how a sweet shop named ‘Moro Chand’ located on Nobabpur Road was demolished. Also, in the temple of Maa Kali located in Rayer Bazar, her statue was broken and thrown on the ground.
The Battali temple in Thathri Bazaar was destroyed and looted. Shops like ‘Kamdhon Poshari’ and ‘Shukla Mishthan Bhandar’ were looted in Nobabpur. A factory of Jatin & Company was set on fire.
Ratan Shankar Bazaar located on Sodorghat Road was destroyed. Similarly, the temple of Nag Devta was reduced to dust. Taslima Nasreen writes that these were not riots, because in a riot both sides fight.
Whereas this was oppression by one community on another community. Have you ever seen those who make a hue and cry about Babri mentioning this destruction? The Islamic mob that created havoc in Bangladesh in 1989-92 and tortured Hindus – why is this not talked about?
Durga Temple located on Lalbagh Road, Girigovardhan Jeetu Temple located on Pushparaj Saha Lane, Raghunath Jiu Akhara located on Harnath Ghosh Lane and Kamrangichar Crematorium located on Lalbagh – all of them were destroyed in 1990 itself.
Thousands of Muslims marched towards the Indian Embassy. The same India had given Independence to Bangladesh. During that time 14 temples were demolished in Sutrapur. 17 Hindus were stabbed in Beltoli Lane of the city.
