In a deeply disturbing incident that has sent shockwaves across the Hindu community in Bangladesh, a Durga Mandir in the capital city Dhaka was demolished by the administration 2 days after a large mob threatened to bring it down. The religious structure, which stood as a place of worship for over fifty years, was flattened under government orders, leaving devotees heartbroken and in tears.

According to available reports, the Khilkhet Sarbajanin Durga Mandir was demolished based on an order issued by Bangladesh Railway’s Dhaka Division Deputy Commissioner and Divisional Estate Officer Md. Nasir Uddin Mahmud on Wednesday. The demolition itself took place early Thursday morning in the presence of a sizable security force. A large bulldozer, reportedly brought in from the Purbachal Army Camp in Dhaka, entered the temple premises accompanied by armed personnel. Despite resistance from Hindu men and women who gathered to protest the destruction, they were forcibly removed by army staff.

As an emotional last effort, the Hindu devotees pleaded with the authorities to delay the demolition and allow the upcoming Rath Yatra celebrations to take place. Their request was denied. The bulldozers advanced, and the idols in the temple, puja materials and other items in the temple were destroyed in the operation. In an act that many are calling nothing short of sacrilegious, the idols of Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva were crushed brutally under the bulldozer, shattered into pieces.

The Khilkhet Sarbajanin Durga Mandir was more than just a religious structure. For more than half a century, annual Durga Puja is being held at the Khilkhet Sarbajanin Durga Mandir in Dhaka. It was not only home to the grand celebration of Durga Puja, but also had a separate idol of Goddess Kali regularly worshiped. Despite its makeshift construction with corrugated iron sheets and a visibly worn-out condition, it was spiritually significant for Dhaka’s minority Hindu population. Though built on Bangladesh Railway land, it had been standing for decades, with tacit acknowledgment from the authorities.

The crisis escalated on the night of June 24, when a Muslim mob attacked the temple, attempted to vandalise it, and gave a deadline of 12 hours to vacate it. They also abused the devotees foul language and even threatened to kill them. These threats were not vague or baseless; they were followed up with an ultimatum to the temple caretakers — they gave an ultimatum to the Hindu devotees to remove the temple by 12 pm on Tuesday (24th June), and vowed to demolish the temple if their diktat is not implemented.

Out of fear and concern, the local Hindu leaders approached the Khilkhet police. But to their dismay, instead of any protection being offered, the temple was demolished suddenly in the name of eviction, just two days after the mob violence. According to the Railway Department, led by Mohammad Yunus, this action was part of a larger initiative under Ordinance No. 24 of 1970. Citing Sections 5(1) and 5(2), the administration stated that the demolition was conducted as part of a program to evict illegal establishments and squatters from Bangladesh Railway land in the Philkhet Bazar area from Kuril Bishwa Road intersection.

The government claims that the temple was an encroachment. As per the administration, the temple was located on encroached govt land. However, the Hindu community strongly disagrees with this narrative. The Hindus say that the temple was there for a long time with the knowledge of the administration, and it was never deemed to be illegal.

What has further fueled the outrage is the timing — right before the grand Jagannath Yatra. The demolition just before the Jagannath Yatra has created outrage among the Hindus in Bangladesh. While the official line insists it was an act of clearing encroachment, Hindus believe it just a part of ongoing atrocities against minorities in the country. Questions are now being asked: why weren’t the idols relocated respectfully instead of being crushed? Why was there no consideration for religious sentiments?

Adding another twist to the tale, according to some locals, the land was actually donated for the temple by the Railways. If this is true, the justification of “encroachment” collapses completely.

Wave of Temple Encroachments in Bangladesh Sparks Alarm Among Hindu Communities

The disturbing demolition of Dhaka's historic Durga Mandir is not an isolated incident. It is just one in a series of attacks and encroachments targeting Hindu temples across Bangladesh. On 21st June, another shocking episode took place in the Comilla district, where a Muslim man named Abdul Ali attempted to encroach upon the 1400-year-old Shiv Chandi Mandir, located on the sacred Lalmai Hills.

With no legal backing, Ali built a makeshift tin house on the land of the Hindu temple and declared it as his ‘ancestral property’. When a female devotee, Chandana Rahut, stood up against this unlawful act, she was attacked by Abdul Ali and his men. The intimidation was not just verbal—it turned violent, targeting a lone devotee who dared to resist.

In his defense, Abdul Ali claimed, “My father purchased this land. But in the records, it is recorded in the name of the temple. I have filed a case to correct the record.” But temple authorities were quick to reject these claims. Dipak Saha, the President of the Shiv Chandi Mandir Committee, rubbished his claims and stated, “600 acres of land on the west side of the entrance gate is recorded in the name of the temple. Recently, we built a rest house on the land for the devotees. But on Saturday, he (Abdul Ali) encroached upon our land and built a house here.”

This case is not an exception. Just days earlier, on 17th June, the Hindu community staged protest against attempts to encroach upon temple land and targeted attack on the President of the temple committee in Khagra Madhya Durgapur in Naogaon district of Bangladesh. The sense of insecurity among Hindus has been escalating, especially after repeated confrontations with radical elements.

One such Hindu protester detailed the events, stating that a local extremist named Maqsad and his radical supporters came to the area where two temples (Sanyas Mandir and Radha Govindo Mandir) are situated. With open aggression, Maqsad and his men declared that the land on which the temples are built, along with the adjoining areas, belong to them.

The Hindus in the area did not retreat. They resisted, despite being outnumbered. The confrontation escalated into a scuffle, during which the extremists threatened to kill anyone who dared to offer prayers at the temples. Yet, with unity and courage, the Hindus present there put up an united front, forcing the extremists to flee the area.

The aggression didn’t end there. Just a day before this protest, on 16th June, violence turned personal when supporters of Maqsad attacked Atul Chandra Sarkar, the president of the Hindu temple committee, and injured him severely. The targeted assault on a religious leader sends a chilling message to the Hindu population that not even spiritual custodians are safe.

These incidents—spread across Comilla, Naogaon, and other regions—paint a clear and troubling picture of systematic targeting of Hindu temples and leaders in Bangladesh. What is most alarming is the pattern of land grab under religious disguise, legal manipulation, and physical violence, all while the authorities remain either indifferent or complicit.