A Durga Mandir was brutally demolished in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area by Bangladesh Railway authorities under the watch of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. The demolition, executed under the pretext of an “illegal land clearance drive,” took place on June 27, three days after a mob of over 500 extremists demanded its removal.
The Khilkhet Sarbojanin Shri Shri Durga Mandir, a modest Mandir reportedly built on railway land, was razed in a highly militarised operation involving bulldozers, security forces, and personnel from the Purbachal Army Camp. Hindu men and women who peacefully resisted the act were forcibly removed, and the Mandir, along with its sacred murti, was destroyed without warning or due process — an act many are calling a state-enabled act of religious persecution.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed strong disapproval of the demolition. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga Mandir in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the Mandir, projected the episode as illegal land use and allowed its destruction.”
Jaiswal confirmed that the deity was damaged during the demolition, despite assurances from the authorities, and reiterated that the Bangladeshi interim government bears full responsibility for safeguarding Hindus, their properties, and their religious institutions.
The incident has further deteriorated the already strained ties between India and Bangladesh following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster on August 5, 2024, and the installation of a military-backed interim regime. India has repeatedly warned that minority persecution has surged in the absence of a stable democratic setup.
According to eyewitness accounts and local media reports (including Bangladesh-based New Age), the demolition came days after a large mob gathered outside the Mandir, threatening violence unless it was removed. Worshippers were reportedly inside the Mandir at 9 PM on June 23 when the mob occupied the area, brandishing sticks and chanting slogans. Yet only the Mandir was demolished — other encroachments on the same railway land were left untouched, sparking allegations of selective targeting of Hindus.
Arjun Roy, secretary of the Mandir committee, told New Age, “We had taken permission from the railway authorities to celebrate Durga Puja last year and used the land temporarily. But they demolished everything today without giving us any prior notice. We are heartbroken.”
Bangladesh Railway’s Dhaka Divisional Estate Officer Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud claimed the Mandir had no formal permission and insisted it was part of a routine anti-encroachment drive. However, he admitted that they were only made aware of the Mandir’s presence on June 23— the very day the mob threatened to remove it.
In response to the demolition, the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote, a coalition of Hindu organisations, announced protests at Shahbagh in Dhaka. The group issued a scathing statement, “We are shocked by the vandalism. We are saddened and outraged by this disgusting communal behaviour of the state.”
Other groups such as the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee, and the Minority Rights Movement also condemned the act, highlighting the rapidly shrinking space for religious minorities in the country.
The demolition adds fuel to a fire already raging between New Delhi and Dhaka. Relations have been in freefall since Sheikh Hasina fled to India amid violent anti-government protests and a military crackdown. The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, backed by a section of the armed forces and Islamist factions, has failed to prevent escalating attacks on Hindus, drawing criticism from human rights organisations globally.
This is not an isolated incident. In recent months, dozens of Mandirs, Durga pandals, and Hindu homes across Bangladesh have faced vandalism, arson, and forced occupation — especially in districts like Comilla, Narayanganj, and Bagerhat.
Since Sheikh Hasina’s departure, reports suggest that radical Islamist groups have gained ground, emboldened by a regime that is either complicit or indifferent. The use of “illegal land” tags has become a convenient excuse to erase Hindu places of worship while ignoring illegal constructions by powerful Muslim groups.
