"Condemn such acts of destructive and violent religious frenzy": Minority groups form human chain to protest against Durga Temple's demolition

Dhaka [Bangladesh], June 27 (ANI): Minority groups formed a human chain in Bangladesh's Shahbagh on Friday to protest against the demolition of Durga Temple in Dhaka.

People in large numbers gathered in Shahbagh to protest against the government's decision to demolish the Durga Temple in Dhaka's Khilkhet.

Speaking to ANI, Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council's Acting General Secretary Manindra Kumar Nath, said that Bangladesh Sanatani Group and Sanatani Andolan have gathered here to protest against temple's demoliton.

Nath announced that they will hold a protest in front of Dhaka Press Club on Saturday. He accused the Bangladesh's interim government of carrying out "such condemnable acts" and expressed opposition to it.

"Today, the Bangladesh Sanatani Group and Sanatani Andolan have gathered here. Last day, in Dhaka's heartland, near the rail line, they demolished a temple using government bulldozer. All of us had to witness such a brutal scene. This has hurt our sentiments. We condemned such acts of destructive and violent religious frenzy. In protest of this, the Sanatani society has woken up today."

"They have gathered here in unanimous protest against such an action. We will stage a protest in front of Dhaka Press Club tomorrow morning. We severely criticise the act. Unfortunately, this government is carrying out such condemnable acts, and we can see no reaction from the government. They have been labelling these incidents as rumours and have been ignoring them for a long time. They are saying that such incidents are not true. But we are noticing such repeated non-acceptance of the government and we believe that it has instigated a particular community," he added.

Bangladesh Railway authorities on Thursday demolished a makeshift Durga Temple constructed on its land in Dhaka's Khilkhet. The temple was demolished three days after a mob called for its removal. The Bangladesh Railway authorities said that they demolished Khilkhet Sarbojanin Shri Shri Durga Mandir as it was constructed illegally on railway land.

The decision of the authorities has been condemned by several minority organisations, alleging that the authorities demolished the temple without providing prior notice to the community people.

The temple committee members alleged that a mob of more than 500 people, with sticks, took position in the temple while the worshippers were staying in the temple at about 9 pm (local time) on Monday, Bangladesh-based newspaper New Age reported. They alleged that the railway authorities only demolished the temple while all other establishments remained untouched.

Speaking to New Age, the committee secretary Arjun Roy said that they took permission from the railway authorities to celebrate Durga puja there in the past year and to use the place for their worshipping temporarily.

He further said, "But the authorities demolished everything today without giving us a prior notice. We are very disheartened over the incident."

Speaking to New Age, Bangladesh Railway's Dhaka divisional estate officer Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud said that the demolition of the temple and other illegal establishments began at about 10 am(local time). According to him, a number of establishments were built on the railway's land illegally and they came to know regarding the makeshift temple on Monday.

Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud stated that the temple's committee did not take permission from the uahtorites, New Age reported. The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, the Mahanagor Sarbojanin Puja Committee, and the Minority Rights Movement in separate statements condemned the mob incident and the demolition of the temple. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)