Bangladesh: Parts of 400-year-old crematorium, ashram set on fire in Magura

Three rooms of the 400-year-old Paruarkul Ashtagram Maha crematorium and Radhagobind Ashram in Mohammadpur upazilla of Bangladesh's Magura district were set on fire by unidentified persons.

Three rooms of the 400-year-old Paruarkul Ashtagram Maha crematorium and Radhagobind Ashram in Mohammadpur upazilla of Bangladesh's Magura district were set on fire by unidentified persons. Parts of three houses, chariots and idols were burnt in the fire which has now been doused. Swapna Rani Biswas, former vice-chairman of Mohammadpur Upazila Parishad and organising secretary of the central committee of the Hindu-Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, said cleaning workers came to the Gurudas temple and saw a blaze in there. The matter was later reported to the administration and fire brigade. The fire was extinguished before the fire brigade arrived from Mohammadpur. Meanwhile, Mohammadpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ramananda Pal, Assistant Commissioner of Land Harekrishna Adhikari, Mohammadpur Police Station OC Tarak Nath Biswas and local Babukhali Union Chairman Mir Sajjad Ali reached the spot after hearing about the incident. Later, the deputy commissioner said senior administration officials including Ashraful Alam, deputy commissioner of Magura and Superintendent of Police Zahirul Islam went to the spot.