Fact Check: No Ban On Ganesh Puja In Bangladesh, Misleading Post Circulates Claiming Interim Government Action

New Delhi (Vishvas News). Amidst political instability in Bangladesh, reports of violence against minorities, especially Hindus, have emerged from the former ruling party, Awami League. In this context, claims are going viral on social media alleging that Mohammad Yunus, head of the interim government of Bangladesh, has banned Ganesh Puja celebrations in Chittagong.

In its investigation, Vishvas News found this claim to be misleading. The interim government of Bangladesh has not issued any ban on Ganesh Puja. According to local reports, the interim government has encouraged the Hindu community to celebrate their festival with enthusiasm and assured them that no one will be allowed to damage their temples.

What is viral?

Social media user ‘Vipul Khatri‘ shared the viral post with the caption, “Bangladesh interim government chief Mohammad Yunus has banned Ganesh Puja celebrations in Chittagong, Bangladesh.”

Many other users have also shared the post with similar claims.

Investigation

To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, we conducted a news search. We did not find any report mentioning any such decision. However, several reports highlighted actions being taken against individuals inciting violence during Hindu festivals, as cited by Bangladeshi news reports.

A PTI report published on The Hindu website on September 8, 2024, quoted The Dhaka Tribune stated, “Bangladesh’s interim government has warned those trying to incite communal violence during Durga Puja,” 

The report stated, “Bangladesh’s interim government chief Mohammad Yunus has appealed to the Hindu community to celebrate their festival with full zeal and enthusiasm. He also assured them that no one will be allowed to damage their temples.”

A news search found a report by AsianetNews.com dated September 7, 2024, which mentioned that Hindu devotees carrying the idol of Lord Ganesha were attacked ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Chittagong, Bangladesh. After this, the Hindu community protested against this violent incident and demanded increased security.

According to the report, “After the incident, a large number of police forces were deployed in the Kadam Mubarak area and then security forces conducted house-to-house searches in the area where the Hindu devotees were attacked. However, there is no information on whether anyone has been arrested in this case or not.” The report further mentioned, “Just a few days before this attack, a mob lynched a Hindu Yuvak Utsav Mandal on charges of blasphemy in the Sonadanga residential area of Khulna city.”

During our search, we did not find any report mentioning a ban on Ganesh Puja celebrations. We reached out to Bangladesh’s fact checker Tanvir Mahtab to clarify the viral claim and he confirmed, “There is no truth in this incident.”

A news search revealed a report by DhakaTribune.com, which included a statement from Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retired) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury instructing the security agencies to prevent attacks on religious places in the country. He stated, “Puja committees have been requested to turn off the sound of musical instruments during azan and namaz.”

We contacted several fact-checkers in Bangladesh regarding this directive and they confirmed, “This has been a common practice in Bangladesh to maintain communal harmony during festivals.”

The user who shared the viral post with the misleading claim has around 37,000 Facebook followers.

Conclusion: The claim of banning Ganesh Puja celebrations in Bangladesh is false and the interim government has issued no such order. Amidst the political instability in Bangladesh, the United Nations (UN) has also expressed concern over the incidents of violence against the minority population living there, especially Hindus, by members of the former ruling party Awami League.

Tags

• Bangladesh unrest
• Hindus in Bangladesh