Sampriti Jatra calls for civic resistance ahead of Durga Puja, says govt ‘failed’ to protect temples, shrines

The civic platform Sampriti Jatra has claimed the interim government has completely failed to ensure the protection of mosques, temples, shrines, akharas, and marginalised communities, urging civic resistance.

Extremist attacks have escalated under its tenure, civic leaders, cultural activists, and writers under the banner said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday.

They alleged that the government is legitimising such assaults by labelling mobs as "pressure groups", thereby normalising violence and persecution.

The event, titled "Sampriti Jatra's Call for Protection of Mosques, Temples, Shrines, Akharas and Marginalised Groups, and Risk Assessment and Action Plan for the Upcoming Durga Puja," was moderated by cultural activist and artist Bithi Ghosh, while writer and researcher Mir Huzaifa Al-Mamduh read out a written statement.

Huzaifa cited recent incidents such as a shrine being attacked in Cumilla after a loudspeaker announcement and the exhumation and burning of a body from a shrine in Rajbari.

He said, "Attacks on temples, Hindu neighbourhoods, Sufi and Baul akharas, ethnic minority communities, and marginalised groups have increased in the past year under the interim administration."

He also noted that ahead of the upcoming national election, minority residential areas, businesses, places of worship, and shrines could become targets.

29 districts marked vulnerable

Presenting a "risk map" based on media and human rights reports from 2014–2025, Huzaifa said 29 districts have been identified as vulnerable to communal violence, ahead of Durga Puja.

Among them, Dhaka, Rangpur, Jashore, Chandpur, and Noakhali are marked as "high risk." At the same time, 24 districts, including Gazipur, Faridpur, Rajbari, Chattogram, Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, Dinajpur, Khulna, Kushtia, Sunamganj, Barishal, and Netrokona, are categorised as "moderate risk." The remaining districts are listed as "low risk."

Huzaifa also announced the launch of Sampriti Jatra, aimed at building a long-term movement for structural reforms to strengthen communal harmony.

He said, "The initiative plans to spread messages of unity on social media, set up a 'fact-checking team' to counter communal rumours, and link local civil society groups, minority organisations, Sufi and shrine-based bodies, Baul-Fakir communities, ethnic minority groups, women's and cultural organisations, professionals, and progressive political actors into a nationwide solidarity network."

He urged prioritising the security of temples, processions, shrines, and akharas, calling for joint efforts from both the administration and citizens to resist mob violence, demanding proper investigation and justice for all past incidents of communal attack.

Meanwhile, researcher and teacher Maha Mirza said, "The interim government has completely failed to prevent extremist attacks and mob violence. The July Uprising was driven by the aspiration to dismantle a fascist state structure. Yet today, people of different faiths, cultures, and opinions remain targets of religious fascists, while the state stands by."

She added that the current situation is even more frightening than under the previous fascist regime, as extremist violence is being normalised.

Artist Arup Rahi said, "A group has established social fascism as part of an imperialist and fascist plan, curbing freedom of religion, belief, and culture. Only people's unity can resist this."

Cultural activist Jamshed Anwar Tapan said, "Not a single communal attack or persecution case from the Awami League era was even investigated, let alone prosecuted. The interim government has preserved the same policy, while attacks on shrines and akhras have increased."