In a series of coordinated attack, unidentified miscreants vandalized idols of Hindu deities at 14 temples in the northwestern part of Bangladesh.
"Unidentified people carried out the attacks under the cover of darkness, vandalising idols in 14 temples in three unions (lowest local government tier)," said Bidyanath Barman, a Hindu community leader said.
The region was known to an area of excellent interfaith harmony as "no such heinous incident took place here in the past", he claimed.
"The (majority) Muslim community does not have any dispute with us (Hindus)... we just cannot understand who could be these culprits," he said.
According to police, the unprecedented attacks took place between Saturday night and Sunday dawn at several villages.
They said nine idols in the Sindurpindi area of Dhantala union, four in Collegepara area of Paria union and 14 idols in a temple in Sahbajpur Nathpara area of Charol union were vandalised.
"It clearly appears to be a case of an orchestrated attack to disrupt the peaceful situation of the country," Thakurgaon's police chief Jahangir Hossain told reporters at one of the temple sites.
He further informed that a manhunt has been launched to trace the miscreants involved in the attack.
"I assure you they will have to face stern legal actions," he added.
"This (attack) is the manifestation of a conspiracy against peace and communal harmony...this is a serious crime and the perpetrators will face the music," Thakurgaon's deputy commissioner or administrative chief Mahbubur Rahman said.
Earlier in 2021, many Durga Puja pavilions and Hindu temples and homes across Bangladesh were attacked and vandalised, including an ISKCON centre in Noakhali.
Several people were also killed in the violence that erupted over alleged blasphemy at a marquee in Comilla.
