NEW DELHI, June 27: ndia has strongly condemned the demolition of the historic Durga Mandir in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area, criticising the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus for failing to protect Hindu religious sites and minority rights. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has attributed the incident to extremist pressure, stating that the Bangladesh administration allowed the temple’s destruction under the pretext of land encroachment.
At a weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed deep concern over the incident. “Reports indicate that extremists demanded the demolition of the Durga temple. Instead of safeguarding the temple and the sentiments of the Hindu minority, the government permitted the demolition, during which the deity itself was damaged,” he said.
Jaiswal reiterated India’s call for the protection of Hindu places of worship in Bangladesh and stressed that it is the moral and constitutional duty of the interim government to safeguard minority rights, properties, and religious institutions.
The incident in Dhaka follows a report earlier this week by the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), detailing another act of vandalism at a Mahastri Manasa and Durga Temple in Dinajpur. In that attack, idols were desecrated, including the severing of the head of the Goddess Manasa’s idol. The HRCBM described it as a targeted act of intimidation against the Hindu population, warning of an escalating pattern of violence and fearmongering.
India has repeatedly raised concerns over the increasing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, particularly under the current interim administration. Officials in New Delhi view the recent temple demolitions as part of a larger pattern of institutional apathy toward minority safety.
Separately, the MEA also addressed India’s concerns regarding regional developments, specifically a recent trilateral meeting held in Kunming, China, involving China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Jaiswal noted that while India maintains independent relations with each country, it continues to monitor any regional developments that may affect national security and strategic interests.
Observers have pointed to growing cooperation between Dhaka and Islamabad under Yunus’s leadership, with Pakistan allegedly leveraging this alignment to embed non-state actors in Bangladesh, some potentially mingling with Rohingya refugees and aiding radical anti-India elements.
