Amidst the protests by Bangladeshi Hindus over the alleged attack on a Ganesh idol by Muslims during a Ganesh Chaturthi procession in Chittagong (here and here), a social media post (here, here and here) is circulating with claims that Dr. Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s Interim Government, has banned Ganesh Puja in Chittagong. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Dr. Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s Interim Government, has banned Ganesh Puja in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Fact: No official announcement declaring a ban on Ganesh Puja celebrations in Chittagong, Bangladesh was made by the interim government. On 8 September 2024, the Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain issued a stern warning, stating that any disturbances at places of worship will be dealt with strictly. He also warned that miscreants might attempt to disrupt communal harmony ahead of Durga Puja. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
For context, on 06 September 2024, in the Kadam Mubarak area of Chittagong City, Bangladesh, a procession of Hindu devotees carrying an idol of Lord Ganesha was attacked by throwing hot water from a high-rise building adjacent to the mosque. This sparked protests from the Hindu community (here and here). The viral post is being shared in this context.
On performing a relevant keyword search regarding the viral claim, we did not find any official announcement about any such ban on Ganesh puja celebrations in Chittagong, Bangladesh, following the alleged attack on a Ganesh idol on 7 September 2024.
On further investigation, we found that the Bangladeshi media on 8 September 2024 reported that the Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain has issued a stern warning, stating that any disturbances at places of worship will be dealt with strictly. He also warned that miscreants might attempt to disrupt communal harmony ahead of Durga Puja. As per the reports (here, here, and here), the advisor stated “If anyone disrupts or harasses people at worship halls, we will not spare them. We will bring them under the law and ensure peace. If you fear attacks on your temples, be assured that no criminals will succeed. We have engaged local people, including madrasa students, to take turns guarding the temples. No one will stop us from celebrating our religious festivals.”
Subsequent investigation led us to a video published by a Bangladeshi news channel in which he discussed taking strict legal action against individuals who deliberately cause issues. He addressed the media multiple times regarding the issue of attacks on places of worship and the protection during Hindu festivals by the interim government (here and here). The Bangladeshi fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner posted on X that ‘the false claim of banning Ganesh Puja in Chittagong is spreading in India.’
To sum up, no official announcement declaring a ban on Ganesh Puja celebrations in Chittagong, Bangladesh was made by the interim government.
