Kolkata hospital says ‘won’t treat’ Bangladeshi patients; 3 Hindu temples attacked in Chattogram

Kolkata’s JN Ray Hospital announced on Friday that it would stop treating Bangladeshi patients indefinitely. The decision comes in response to alleged anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh and reported insults to the Indian flag by Bangladeshi nationals.

The hospital, located in Kolkata’s Manicktala area, issued a statement citing the “insults towards India” as the reason for its action. Subhranshu Bhakt, a hospital official, said, “From today, we will not admit any Bangladeshi patient. This is a protest against the atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh and the disrespect shown to our tricolour.” Bhakt also urged other hospitals in Kolkata to follow suit.

Attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh’s Chattogram

This move coincides with a series of attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh’s Chattogram, which have escalated tensions between the two neighbouring countries. On Friday, a mob vandalised three temples—Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple—in the city’s Harish Chandra Munsef Lane area.

According to Bangladeshi news portal BDNews24.com, the attack occurred around 2:30pm when a group of several hundred people, shouting slogans, threw bricks at the temples. Kotwali Police Station chief Abdul Karim confirmed the incident, stating that while the damage was minimal, tensions ran high.

Tapan Das, a temple committee member, said, “A procession of hundreds arrived after Juma prayers, shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans. We called the Army when the situation worsened, and order was eventually restored.”

The attacks followed the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of ISKCON, on sedition charges. His arrest on Monday and subsequent denial of bail on Tuesday sparked protests by the Hindu community in Dhaka, Chattogram, and other parts of Bangladesh.

S Jaishankar on Bangladesh violence

The Indian government expressed serious concern over the rising violence. External affairs minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that Dhaka must ensure the safety of all its citizens, including minorities. “The surge in extremist rhetoric and violence is unacceptable. It is Bangladesh’s responsibility to protect its minorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh expressed concerns over protests outside its deputy high commission in Kolkata and urged India to safeguard its diplomatic missions.